Guildford’s Beacon Will Be Lit for Queen’s Jubilee

Published on: 17 Jan, 2022
Updated on: 19 Jan, 2022

Guildford’s beacon alight for the Queen’s 90th birthday in 2016

By Martin Giles

Guildford along with towns and settlements across the UK and the Commonwealth will be lighting its beacon on The Mount as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations by lighting beacons.

It is expected that guildford Borough Council will also be supporting community events by waiving road closure charges for street parties and offering relevant support and guidance.

Council officers are understood to be liaising with various partners about ways to mark the Jubilee, but the specific details are yet to be confirmed.

The organiser of the event “The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Beacons” is inviting organisations, communities and local authorities, charities, farms, country estates, historic houses, voluntary groups and individuals to take part.

The organisers say: “The Jubilee Beacons is one of the official events of the Platinum Jubilee in 2022 as part of an extended bank holiday, from Thursday 2nd to Sunday 5th June. The Jubilee Beacons will provide an opportunity for communities and people throughout the United Kingdom to come together to celebrate this historic milestone. The four days of celebrations will include public events and community activities, as well as national moments of reflection on The Queen’s 70 years of service.

“This will be the first time a British monarch has marked a Platinum Jubilee, 70 years as Sovereign. In September 2015, The Queen overtook Queen Victoria as the longest-reigning monarch.

“There is a long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of beacons. A beacon chain, once used as a tool for communication, has now become a symbol of unity across towns, borders, countries and continents and is often the central point of focus for any outdoor gathering or celebration. In 1897, beacons were lit to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee. In 1977, 2002 and 2012, beacons commemorated the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees of The Queen, and in 2016 Her Majesty’s 90th birthday.

It is hoped that Guildford’s town crier, Dave Peters will be crying a proclamation.

“Many of those receiving [the invitation to participate] will already have permanent beacons in place, so please light them for this occasion.”

It is expected that Guildford’s beacon will be one of more than 1,500 beacons to be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories, as well as one in each of the capital cities of Commonwealth countries, in recognition of the Queen’s long service.

Town criers are also to be involved. At 2pm local time they are being invited to cry out a proclamation announcing the lighting of the beacons later that evening.

A unique bugle call entitled Majesty, has been written to be sounded at 9.40pm on the night from the individual beacon locations within local communities.