Royal Shrovetide Football

Shrovetide ball goaled by H. Hind on Ash Wednesday 1887 that pre-dates the arouse which destroyed the earliest written records of the sport. The Royal Shrovetide Football Match is a “ medieval football “ game played annually on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday in the town of Ashbourne in Derbyshire, England. Shrovetide musket ball games have been played in England since at least the twelfth hundred from the reign of Henry II ( 1154–89 ). The Ashbourne game besides known as “ hugball ” has been played from at least c.1667 although the exact origins of the game are strange due to a displace at the Royal Shrovetide Committee office in the 1890s which destroyed the earliest records. [ 1 ] [ 2 ] [ 3 ] [ 4 ] One of the most popular origin theories suggests the ghastly notion that the ‘ball ‘ was originally a sever head tossed into the waiting crowd following an murder. [ 5 ] Although this may have happened, it is more probably that games such as the Winchelsea Streete Game, reputedly played during the Hundred Years ‘ War with France, were adaptations of an original ball game intended to show contempt for the enemy. [ 6 ] One of the earliest references to football in the county of Derbyshire comes in a poem called “ Burlesque upon the Great Frost ” from 1683, written after the English Civil War by Charles Cotton, cousin to Aston Cockayne, Baronet of Ashbourne ( 1608–84 ) : [ 7 ]

Reading: Royal Shrovetide Football – Wikipedia

Two towns, that long that war had raged
Being at football now engaged
For honor, as both sides pretend,
Left the brave test to be ended
Till the adjacent thaw for they were freeze
On either separate at least a twelve,
With a good fine-looking quad between ’em
Like Rollerich stones, if you ‘ve seen ’em
And could no more run, kick, or slip ye
Than I can quaff off Aganippe .Charles Cotton (1630–87)[8][9]

Shrovetide football played between “ Two towns ” in Derby is frequently credited with being the reference of the condition “ local bowler hat “. A more widely accepted beginning hypothesis is The Derby cavalry race. Whatever the origins the “ local bowler hat ” is now a accepted terminus for a football game played between local rivals and a Derby is a horse raceway. [ 10 ] [ 11 ]
Shrovetide balls typical of those on display in shops and populace houses in Ashbourne. These three were on display at the Wheel Inn, Ash Wednesday, 2013. The central ball shows the three cocks that appear on the Cockayne coat of Arms. This image is common to many crippled balls. To the properly is an case of a ball without decoration. A previously strange doubtful link between Royal Shrovetide football and La soule played in Tricot, Picardy was established in 2012 by history and sociology of fun lecturer Laurent Fournier from the Universite de Nantes. Whilst undertaking a study of “ folk football “, he noticed that the Coat of arms of the Cockayne syndicate ( seated in Ashbourne from the twelfth hundred ) painted on a 1909 Shrovetide ball displayed in the window of the Ashbourne Telegraph office contained three cockerels in its heraldic design. He recognised this matched the emblem of Tricot ( besides carrying three cockerels ) where La soule is played on the first base Sunday of Lent and Easter Monday. He was welcomed to Ashbourne by the Royal Shrovetide Committee and was a guest at the Shrovetide lunch. Research into Royal Shrovetide Football ‘s doomed history is ongoing ( August 2012 ). [ 12 ]

history [edit ]

The concept of the ball plot was understood in the early Middle Ages ( 600–1066 ). Writing in the ninth century, Welsh monk and historian Nennius makes citation in his book Historia Brittonum to “ the field of Ælecti, in the district of Glevesing, where a party of boys were playing at ball ”. [ 13 ] [ 14 ] This account was attributed to a 5th-century source that has not survived. [ 15 ] Ball games may have been played throughout the 1st millennium despite a miss of document attest. oral traditions from the West Country and South East Wales assert that the games of cornish “ Hurling to Country ” [ 16 ] and “ Hurling to Goals ”, Devon “ Out-Hurling ” [ 17 ] and Welsh “ Cnapan “ played during christian festivals have more ancient Celtic origins. [ 18 ] [ 19 ] [ 20 ] The wooden balls used in these games are only found in regions where celtic culture is distillery venerated. These communal events may flush have started with prehistoric workers hurling fore carved wooden balls or stone balls that archaeologists have theorised could have been used to move megaliths in stone set construction. [ 21 ] Records from antiquity have survived relating to diverse ball games played by the Romans, notably Harpastum which contained many elements that feature in the Shrovetide ball plot. These influences were available to a Catholic Church Clergy familiar with native customs and educated in Latin when a ball bet on was introduced to Shrovetide festivities. [ 22 ] [ 23 ] The earliest record Shrovetide ball game comes during the High Middle Ages ( 1066–1272 ) from the cleric William Fitzstephen in his description of London Descriptio Nobilissimae Civitatis Londoniae ( c.1174–83 ). The game he witnessed was played at Carnival, an alternative name for Shrovetide, from the Latin Carnilevaria, a news variant of carne levare entail to “ leave out meat ” an act of abstinence for Lent. [ 24 ] then adenine now games were played in the afternoon. His history suggests playing musket ball at Carnival had been an annual event for at least a coevals. [ 25 ] [ 26 ] [ 27 ]

… ” every year on the sidereal day called Carnival—to begin with the sports of boys ( for we were all boys once ) —scholars from the unlike schools bring fighting-cocks to their masters, and the solid dawn is set apart to watch their cocks do battle in the schools, for the boys are given a vacation that day. After dinner all the young men of the township go out into the fields in the suburb to play ball. The scholars of the assorted schools have their own ball, and about all the followers of each occupation have theirs besides. The seniors and the fathers and the affluent magnates of the city come on horseback to watch the contests of the younger generation, and in their turn recover their lost youth : the motions of their natural heat seem to be stirred in them at the mere batch of such strenuous activeness and by their participation in the joy of unbridled youth. ” [ 26 ]

The placement given for the “ suburb ” was to the union of London. The area described of loose fields and rivers is typical of the terrain distillery used for stream games played in Ashbourne and in Workington, Cumbria, where “ Uppies and Downies “ games take place on good Friday, Easter Tuesday and Easter Saturday. [ 28 ] [ 29 ] [ 30 ]

… ” Everywhere outside the houses of those living in the suburb, and adjacent to them, are the roomy and beautiful gardens of the citizens, and these are planted with trees. besides there are on the north slope pastures and pleasant hayfield lands through which flow streams wherein the turn of mill-wheels makes a cheerful good ” …. [ 26 ]

Although the names of the schools that participated were not stipulated, a previous address to St. Paul ‘s, Holy Trinity, Aldgate and St. Martin-le-Grand College indicates these Church schools were integral to celebrating this holy-day .

… ” St. Paul, the church of the Holy Trinity, and the church of St. Martin have celebrated schools by limited privilege and by merit of their ancient dignity. But through the favor of some baron, or through the presence of teachers who are luminary or celebrated in philosophy, there are besides early schools ” …. [ 26 ]

Leather bottle used in greenwich village football from the 1800s on display at the National Football Museum, Manchester. By the Late Middle Ages ( 1272–1485 ) there were many incarnations of the ball game being played at Shrovetide, Eastertide and Christmastide in and around the british Isles. All were played in a alike manner with place innovations. Some of the other better-understood games, a few of which are even played, include the Ba ‘ plot ( ba’ being an abbreviation of “ ball ” ), the Atherstone Ball Game, the Sedgefield Ball Game, Bottle-kicking ( normally with a leather bottle as a substitute for the testis ), [ 31 ] Caid ( an irish name for respective ball games and an animal-skin ball ), Camp-ball ( belated medieval includes “ kicking camp ” ), Football ( late medieval ), The Shrove Tuesday Football Ceremony of the Purbeck Marblers ( Masonic ceremony ), Haxey Hood ( “ Hood ” being the name given to a leather pipe used alternatively of a ball ), La soule ( soule being the name for the ball in northerly France ), and Scoring the Hales ( an alternative name for goals used in Cumbria and the scottish borders ). A contemporary corporate term coined for these games is “ Mob football ”. [ 5 ] [ 32 ] During the early on mod period populace schools open to the paying public ( an alternate to individual home education ) adopted the ball bet on as a sports activity. [ 33 ] The adaptation they developed was called football and was played using a bladder- high-flown ball. [ 34 ] [ 35 ] [ 36 ] Scholars from these schools wrote the first gear criterion codes for football. These inspired the development of modern codes of football, many created by the descendants of emigrants who spread the concept of football around the world. [ 37 ] [ 38 ]

The Ashbourne game [edit ]

Ball being ‘turned up ‘ from the ‘plinth ‘ at Shawcroft cable car park located along the occupation of a culverted section of Henmore Brook on Ash Wednesday 2011 The game is played over two days on Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, starting each day at 2:00 prime minister and permanent until 10:00 pm. If the goal is scored ( in local anesthetic parlance, the ball is goaled ) before 5.30 prime minister [ 39 ] a new ball is released and play restarts from the township concentrate, otherwise play ends for the day. The ball is rarely kicked, though it is legal to kick, carry or throw it. rather it generally moves through the township in a series of hugs, like a giant scrum in rugby, made up of dozens if not hundreds of people. When the ball is goaled, the scorer is carried on the shoulders of his colleagues into the court of the Green Man Royal Hotel ( this ceremony returned to its recognised religious home in 2014 after an absence in 2013 due to the closure of the hotel [ 40 ] ). The two teams that play the game are known as the Up’Ards and the Down’Ards ( local dialect for “ upwards and downwards ” ). The Up’Ards are traditionally those township members born north of Henmore Brook, which runs through the town, and Down’Ards are those natural south of the river. Each team attempts to carry the ball back to their own goal from the turn-up, preferably than the more traditional method of scoring at/in the opponents goal. There are two goal posts 3 miles ( 4.8 kilometer ) apart, one at Sturston Mill ( where the Up’Ards attempt to score ), the other at Clifton Mill ( where the Down’Ards score ). Although the mills have long since been demolished, separate of their millstones still stand on the bank of the river at each placement and indeed themselves once served as the score posts. In 1996 the scoring posts were replaced once again by fresh smaller millstones mounted onto purpose-built stone structures, which are still in use to this day and require the players to actually be in the river in ordain to ‘goal ‘ a ball, as this was seen as more ambitious. [ 40 ] The actual process of ‘goaling ‘ a ball requires a player to hit it against the millstone three consecutive times. This is not a strictly random event, however, as the eventual scorer is elected en route to the finish and would typically be person who lives in Ashbourne or at least whose family is well known to the community. The chances of a ‘tourist ‘ goaling a musket ball are very distant, though they are welcome to join in the attempt to reach the goal. When a ball is ‘goaled ‘ that particular crippled ends.

Shops on the overture to the Green Man & Black Head public house boarded up before the games get down. The plot is played through the town with no terminus ad quem on the number of players or the play sphere ( aside from those mentioned in the rules below ). Thus shops in the town are boarded up during the game, and people are encouraged to park their cars away from the chief streets. The game is started from a special pedestal in the town centre where the ball is thrown to the players ( or “ turned-up ” in the local anesthetic parlance ), much by a travel to very important person. Before the ball is turned-up, the assemble crowd sing “ Auld Lang Syne “ followed by “ God Save the Queen “. The starting point has not changed in many years, although the township has changed around it ; as a consequence, the starting dais is presently located in the town ‘s chief car park, which is named Shaw Croft, this being the ancient name of the field in which it stands. [ 40 ] The game has been known as “ Royal ” since 1928, when the then–Prince of Wales ( by and by King Edward VIII ) turned up the ball. [ 40 ] The Prince suffered a bloody scent. The game received ‘ Royal Assent ‘ for a second fourth dimension in 2003, when the game was once again started by the Prince of Wales, in this case HRH Prince Charles. [ 40 ] On this affair, the Prince threw the ball into bring from a raised pedestal. It is traditional for the very important person of the sidereal day to be raised aloft near Compton Bridge, as the turner-up is escorted into the Shawcroft en route from the lunch at the Leisure center. [ 41 ] [ 42 ]

The goals [edit ]

Up’Ards purpose-built goal at Sturston Mill, upstream from the pedestal at Shawcroft Down’Ards purpose-built goal at Clifton Mill, downstream from the pedestal at Shawcroft The Up’Ards ‘ traditional goal was Sturston Mill in Sturston greenwich village east of Asbourne and the Down’Ards ‘ finish was Clifton Mill in the village of Clifton west of Ashbourne. Clifton Mill was demolished in 1967. A stone obelisk with commemorative plaque marking the site was unveiled in 1968. This became the Down’Ards goal for the future 28 years. Sturston Mill was demolished in 1981. A timber post salvaged from the mill was erected on the web site of the old mill to act as a goal for the Up’Ards. [ 43 ] [ 44 ] The purpose-built goals erected in 1996 on the banks of Henmore Brook are located 3 miles ( 4.8 kilometer ) apart. The Up’Ards goal is upriver from Shawcroft adjacent to the site of the erstwhile Sturston Mill and the Down’Ards goal is downstream from Shawcroft adjacent to the locate of the former Clifton Mill. The ball is goaled when tapped three times against a albatross incorporated in the goals. [ 45 ]

The ball [edit ]

The game is played with a especial ball, larger than a standard football, which is filled with portuguese cork to help the ball float when it ends up in the river. It is now hand-painted by local anesthetic craftsmen specially for the occasion, and the design is normally related to the very important person who will be turning-up the ball. once a ball is goaled it is repainted with the name and in the invention of the scorer and is theirs to keep. If a ball is not goaled it is repainted in the design of the very important person that turned it up and given back to them to keep. [ 8 ] [ 47 ] Many of the balls are put on display in the local public house during the game for the public to opinion ; traditionally these pubs are divided by team ( The Wheel Inn being a popular Down’Ard base, and the Old Vaults for the Up’ards, for example ) .

The rules [edit ]

There are very few rules in universe. The chief ones are : [ 48 ] [ 49 ]

Committing murder or manslaughter is prohibited. Unnecessary violence is frowned upon.
The ball may not be carried in a motorised vehicle.
The ball may not be hidden in a bag, coat or rucksack, etc.
Cemeteries, churchyards and the town memorial gardens are strictly out of bounds.
Playing after 10 pm is forbidden.
To score a goal the ball must be tapped 3 times in the area of the goal.

Results [edit ]

Scores [edit ]

2006: 1–1 Draw[50]
2007: Up’ards win 1–0
2008: Up’ards win 2–0
2009: 1–1 Draw
2010: Down’ards win 1–0
2011: 2–2 Draw[51]
2012: Draw[52]
2013: Draw
2014: Up’ards win 2–0
2015: Up’ards win 1–0
2016: Draw 1–1
2017: Up’ards win 1–0
2018: Draw 1–1
2019: Down’ards win 1–0[53]
2020: Draw 1 (Leighton) – 1 (Frith)
2021: Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic[54]

Roll of Honour [edit ]

Since 1891 a “ Roll of Honour ” has been kept, documenting both the turner-up and scorekeeper of each bet on played. It can be seen from the number that the event has only been cancelled twice during that time, once in 1968 and again in 2001, both times due to the outbreak of Foot-and-mouth disease. even during both World Wars the games were played ; indeed, the Ashbourne Regiment even played a adaptation of the game in the german trenches during the First World War. On 7 March 1916 the 1/6th Battalion of the Sherwood Foresters ( Notts and Derby ) Regiment played a game whilst stationed in the french greenwich village of Invergny. The ball was presented by the Ashbourne Committee and the beginning finish was scored by Private Robinson of “ C ” company. Visitors to Ashbourne can nowadays view the series of wooden display frames carrying the names that are updated annual at the new Ashbourne Library on Compton. The boards were originally in the entrance anteroom of the officiate room at the Green Man, but were removed from there after the hotel close in 2012. [ 55 ]

local dialect [edit ]

The follow are words and phrases used at the game, with a brief explanation of their meaning :

Turner-up: The person who starts that day’s game.[8]
Turning up: The act of throwing the ball from the “plinth” into the crowd of waiting players to start a game.[56]
Hug: The scrum-like formation that naturally forms as the Up’Ards and Down’Ards battle for the ball.[48][57]
Break: When the ball is released from the hug and play moves quickly.[58]
Runners: Players that wait on the outside of the hug for the ball to break in order to collect the ball and cover as much ground as possible in the direction of their team’s goal. There are selected runners for each team and they train regularly throughout the year, usually by running from goal to goal.[57]
River play: As the name suggests, this is a reference to the sections of the game played in the river; as with runners there will be members of the team that specialise in river play. It is possible for the entire game to be played solely in the river.[59]
Clifton: The Down’ards goal location.[60]
Sturston: The Up’ards goal location.[60]
Duck: Local colloquialism used as a friendly greeting, for example “Do you know where the ball is, duck?” Comparable words from other regions would include “mate” or “pet'”.[61]
The Green Man Royal Hotel: Name of the pub/hotel where the pre-game dinner was hosted and speeches given; the turner-up was carried from here on the shoulders of the players and over to the Shawcroft. This function and ceremony has now moved to the Leisure Centre due to the closure of the Green Man in 2012. For 2014, it has been agreed with the new owner that the goal confirmation ceremony will return to the Green Man courtyard.[56][62]
Shrovie: Slang for Shrovetide.[63]
“Down wi’ it”: Often shouted by many onlookers supporting the Up’ards or Down’ards, mainly women. To force the ball down in the centre of the “hug” thus slowing down the progress of the opposing team who are trying to throw the ball clear to their “runners” so they can make a “break” towards goal. This would typically happen when a team has won that day or the previous day and wish to force a draw in the game becoming overall winners that year.[64][65][66][67]
Plinth: From where the ball is “turned up” (thrown) to start a game.[48][56]

The hymn [edit ]

The hymn is sung at a pre-game ceremony in a local hotel. It was written in 1891 for a concert hold to raise money to pay off the fines ordered for playing the game in the street. [ 8 ] [ 68 ]
original lyrics from 1891 mounted on the pedestal .

There ‘s a town hush plays this glorious game
Tho ‘ ti but a small spot.
And year by class the contest ‘s fight
From the plain that ‘s called Shaw Croft.
then supporter meets friend in friendly strife
The leather for to gain,
And they play the game right manfully,
In snow, sunlight or rain.

Chorus

‘Tis a glorious game, deny it who can
That tries the gutsiness of an Englishman.

For loyal the Game shall ever be
No matter when or where,
And cover that Game as ought but the free,
Is more than the boldest dare.
Though the ups and downs of its check life
May the ball however always roll,
Until by fair and gallant strife
We ‘ve reached the treasur ‘d goal.

Chorus

‘Tis a glorious game, deny it who can
That tries the pluck of an Englishman .

Films and media [edit ]

The consequence is frequently attended by reporters and documentary makers from several european countries, along with those from the USA and Japan. Appearances on UK television include Blue Peter, where the presenters experienced the game for themselves, and gameshow They Think It’s All Over, where it was featured as the “ strange Sport ” and later in the display some local Down’Ards appeared on the “ Feel the Sportsman ” round. [ citation needed ] The 2006 game was attended by a Los Angeles film company acquiring footage for a objective titled Wild in the Streets, produced and co-directed by Peter Baxter [ 69 ] and narrated by Sean Bean. The film premiered at the 2012 Slamdance Film Festival in Park City, Utah, USA. [ 70 ] The film was released on-line and on-demand in the US in April 2013. [ 69 ]

Royal Shrovetide Football – Wikipedia