Royal Shrovetide Football took place this week as the Ford & Stanley team paid its annual homage to Shrove Tuesday.
The weather was glorious for early March, making a pleasant change from the wintry conditions as of late. We kickstarted the day at Seven Restaurant with around 37 guests enjoying a hearty breakfast, before heading over to Ashbourne ahead of the afternoon’s proceedings, which were hosted by our very own Dan Taylor.
For those unfamiliar with the event, Shrovetide takes place every year in one of our county’s most historic market towns, which is famous, among other things, for its ancient tradition of Royal Shrovetide Football (originating from medieval times, no less), and it was started by such famous figures as Prince Charles, Sir Stanley Matthews and The Duke of Devonshire. Played each Shrovetide Tuesday and Ash Wednesday, it’s unique as much as it is unruly, often being likened to rugby, and draws in a packed throng of enthusiastic locals each year.
The game is considered the last remaining example of mass football and is one of the few events of its kind still held annually on the streets of the UK.
Here are a few facts for those unfamiliar with Shrovetide:
- It has an unconventional format: forget about goalposts and boundaries – in Ashbourne, the entire town transforms into a playground! With minimal rules, the two goals are three miles apart and the game sprawls across streets, fields, the river and even car parks.
- It lasts longer than your average football match: the game takes place over two days, over two eight-hour periods.
- It fosters great team spirit: the town divides into two teams – the Up’ards and the Down’ards (depending on what side of the River Henmore you were born!).
- It’s not like the modern game: the ball is larger than a normal football, made from leather and filled with cork (to help keep it afloat).
This year was another absolute gem with the usual amount of chaos. As ever it was fantastic to host our guests for a fantastic day out the office.
Long may the tradition continue, as we already look forward to the 2026 instalment . . .
