Folk Leads Magazine, Folk Music, Folk Song, Customs, Folk Tunes, Grove Folk Club, Leeds: West Yorksire, UK

Hurling in Cornwall

CORNWALL IS ONE OF THE LAST STRONGHOLDS of the traditional game of Hurling, the only known surviving games taking place at St. Ives and St. Columb Major during the months of February and March. At one time the game was very popular in Cornwall and was usually played, like ‘real football’ between parishes. This old custom died out in the 18th century and now matches are fought out between different sections of the town or village.

Most of the surviving games of ‘real football’ in England take place at Shrovetide but St. Ives play on the first Monday in February, known as Feasten Monday. At one time the match was played all over the town but after the war it was relegated to the town park and more recently to the beach, where it is now played by children.

Winner 2007 - Scott

“The Cornish-men they are stronge, hardye and nymble, so are their exercises violent, two especially, Wrastling and Hurling, sharpe and seuere actiuties; and in neither of theis doth any Countrye exceede or equall them.” John Norden, 1584

Rules of the game

The game finishes at noon, and the person holding the ball then is declared the winner; it is usually contrived to have a young child holding the ball at the end.

The game at St. Columb is played on Shrove Tuesday between the Townsmen and Countrymen, with a return match the next Saturday week. The Townsmen live in the main part of the town, and the Countrymen in the surrounding farms and hamlets. There is no limit to the number of players, the only qualifications being strength and endurance.

ball shaping

Shaping the ball by the craftsman

The ball is the size of a cricket ball and weighs about 14 to 16 ounces. It is made of an applewood core which is covered by two sterling silver halves fixed to the core by a silver band rivetted in place.

The goals are two stone troughs, roughly two miles apart, the Town goal being about a mile to the south-west of the town, and the Country goal a mile to the north.

On the day, shop fronts are boarded up and more than 500 hundred people gather in the market place before the start. The ball is “thrown up ” at 4.15pm, either by the previous year’s winner or some notable or famous Cornishman the winner has nominated.

shop_windows

Shop fronts boarded up!

The players attempt to keep the ball within the town for the first hour and a prize of one pound is paid to the winner if this is achieved. During this period both sides attempt to work the ball towards their opponent’s goal, and after this time the aim is to ground the ball in the other side’s goal to finish the game.

... and how the game is won

A goal can also be scored by carrying the ball over the boundary of the adjoining parish. Whoever achieves this proclaims himself the winner and is carried, on the shoulders of his team mates, back into the town where he announces if it is a Town or Country ball, depending on which side he belongs to.

The whole process is repeated the following Saturday week. The winner has custody of the ball for the next twelve months, at the end of which time he can either return it, to be used in the next game, or he can keep it and donate a new ball which these days can cost anything up to £100.

Letter from Jim Bassett to Folk Leads

“Oh, Sam, Sam [not only pick up tha' musket, but get tha' facts straight as well!]”

“Don't let them hear you say that in St. Columb on Shrove Tuesday, or on the Saturday the week after when they play the return match - which they have been doing for the last several centuries.”

The game is played between two teams, Town versus Country, and no organising committee as it happens!”

The main pub in the town is called ‘The Silver Ball’. They also play a version of of the game in St. Ives, but it is more tame, and children take part.” - Jim Bassett

hurling balls

folkleads.org.uk

Jim Bassett

Reference:

Hurling in Cornwall on Shrove Tuesdays