Bottle Kicking in Hallaton

In the village of Hallaton in Leicestershire, England, a unique tradition unfolds every Easter Monday. The residents of Hallaton and the nearby village of Medbourne engage in a spirited competition known as bottle kicking, where the goal is to move a “bottle” across two streams located a mile apart. This centuries-old event, dating back to the late 18th century, is considered by some as one of the country's longest-running sports, with claims of its origins reaching back to Roman times. Photo credit: Duncan147/Flickr Legend has it that the tradition started when two women from Hallaton were rescued from a charging bull by a startled hare, diverting the bull's attention. In gratitude for this miraculous intervention, the women gifted the hare to the church with the condition that, each Easter Monday, the vicar would provide a Hare pie, twelve penny loaves, and two barrels of ale for the less fortunate in the village. The Hallaton villagers would then engage in a lively contest, battling each other for the coveted food and drink. During one such event, the residents of Medbourne joined the fray, seizing the opportunity to pilfer the barrels of ale. This incident marked the beginning of a longstanding rivalry between the two villages, with Hallatonians working together to reclaim their stolen spoils and setting the stage for the annual bottle kicking tradition that continues to this day. The event starts with a parade through the villages of Medbourne and Hallaton with locals carrying a large hare pie and the three “bottles”, which are actually small wooden kegs. Two of these bottles contain beer, while the third, known as "the dummy," is a solid wooden keg painted in striking red and white colors.