Royal Shrovetide Football is a type of Mob Football played on the streets of in Ashbourne, Derbyshire UK. To the uninitiated, it may seem like some sort of street riot, but it is actually an ancient annual sporting event where local villagers divide themselves into two teams based on where they live relative to the Henmore Brook - 'The Downards' and 'The Uppard's'.
The game begins when a ball is thrown into the center 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 - that's about it.
Related Pages
- More about Medieval Football sports
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- Videos of unusual sports