KING EDWARD SAYS NO!

Imagine being a 14th Century peasant, sharing life with your mates, downtrodden by virtually everyone (apart from your mates, of course)!! One pleasant moment in your day (or week) might have been a very basic game of football, possibly when you weren't slogging away in the quarry, some sort of "factory" or on a farm.....anything to get away from the "drudgery" that basically kept you and your family alive. The game was like a crude example of modern day rugby, Aussie Rules and Shrove Tide mob football all wrapped into one.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8NwAaHIJ0C8  P.s. there is no "next" episode though you could follow it on the link....

Dangerous! Of course but something that the locals looked forward to; one of the few pleasures in their lives, creating some fun midst the drudgery of medieval life. So, up steps an Edward....not one of ours, but King Edward II, who in 1314 issued a proclamation banning football in England!

The sport, in Medieval times, was contested between two neighboring towns, with as many participants as can be on each side. The objective of the sport was simple, to carry an inflated pigskin ball to the end of the opponent's town. As odd as it may sound, the only rule for the sport was that murder and manslaughter are strictly prohibited. Besides that, any means possible can be used to move the ball towards the destination. 

A mob football match is still played in Ashbourne, Derbyshire, known as the Royal Shrovetide Football played in the town streets and it runs for two straight days; Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday. from 2pm to 10pm...leaving time for a deserved pint no doubt.

Besides the rule that prohibits murder and manslaughter, other rules enforced are: use of motor vehicles are prohibited, the ball cannot be hidden while it is being carried, and the course cannot lead through cemeteries or town memorial gardens. Unlike traditional matches, both teams try to move the ball towards their own goal. Local villagers divide themselves into two teams based on where they live relative to the river, Henmore Brook - 'The Downards' and 'The Uppard's'.

A goal is scored by tapping the ball three times on the team's own designated goal area, usually a town landmark like a church gate, or ornamental fountain. 

The game begins when a ball is thrown into the centre of the town and then the players attempt to get the ball to the goals, which are positioned three miles apart. There are not many rules really - you are not permitted to kill anyone!! or make use of a motor vehicle to carry the ball.

There are still a number of medieval football games which are still played today. One is Alnwick that is played in Northumberland, Atherstone Ball in Warwickshire, Corfe Castle in Dorset, Haxey in Lincolnshire, Bottle-kicking in Leicestershire, and Sedgefield in County Durham. In Scotland there’s Duns, Hobkirk, Jedburgh, Scone, and Kirkwall. In France there’s La Soule, the game that is played in Normandy and Brittany.