The English summer cannot be imagined without a garden and an English country garden really should hold a picnic and outdoor games. Isn’t it a typically English scene, gentlemen playing golf or tennis on an English estate while ladies preparing tea for the picnic or playing some other games? It is so English. So let’s have a look at two quintessentially English games.
Probably known by all of us, but it is perhaps less known where the origins of this game came from. Most probably an early version was played by the Greeks, who used discs and not rings. The game was then passed on to the Romans, who then brought it to Britain. Of course, the rings were made of iron and not wood, not rope or plastic like these days. Another theory suggests that quoits developed from horseshoe pitching.
Anyway, one thing is for sure: quoits was played in early England and if you look carefully, Elizabeth Bennet plays this game in the 1995 film Pride and Prejudice, in the garden with her sisters. As, with the majority of the games, quoits too has several versions: the Northern, the Long, the East-Anglia or the Garden version – just few of the many. There is also a version played at fairs whereby the player has to throw the ring over the desired prize. Such scene can be seen in Downton Abbey for example.
Laurence King Publishing Bird Bingo Game
The rules were first published in 1881 by the world’s first field sport magazine, The Field which first appeared in 1853. I think it does not matter what rules you follow for a garden party, or you can create your own rules. For example when we played quoits, we defined the distance from where we were supposed to throw the rings and also the number of rounds were decided, namely five. Of course the winner is who reaches the highest score – and this time it was me! Let me have one remark though: the game is not as easy as it may seem! However, it is great fun for family and friends, and last but not least, it is so quintessentially English…
I am sure there are many films in which croquet is played – for me The Sequel by Lucy Maud Montgomery springs to mind where the girls play croquet at the Kingsport Ladies College, but Alice in Wonderland also played croquet where the mallets were flamingos. But what is this game that resembles golf and polo and has a French sounding name? Is it English or French?
Century from France and it became a popular game during the reign of Charles II when it was called paille mail (or pall mall) derived from the Latine words for ‘ball and mallet’. This is where the name of the walk in Saint James’s Park, now called the Mall, received its name from where Charles himself and his courtiers frequently exercised themselves in the practice of this pastime.
How To Design & Host A Classic English Garden Party
Another theory suggests that croquet arrived from Ireland during the 1850s, after being brought there from Brittany. Well, I am not sure but maybe the first version seems to be more authentic.
Either way, the rules of croquet were registered by a London toy maker, Isaac Spratt in 1856 and he also described the rules of badminton in 1860. Allegedly he sold the patent to the famous sport and game equipment maker John Jaques in 1857. However, another theory suggests, that croquet was introduced to England by John Jaques in 1851 at the Great Exhibition. Well, who knows which gentleman was to publish it first…? (btw Jaques of London is the oldest sports and games manufacturers in the world passed down from father to son for six generations and the Jaques family certainly can claim popularising croquet and other family games.)
Croquet was highly popular in the 1860s in the middle and upper classes, but a decade later, tennis took over its place. What a shame I have to say because croquet is great fun!
Breathtaking Backyard Ideas
I have to admit I have always wanted to try croquet since I moved to England. I am not sure why. Maybe because it is different and quirky and very English. While I find golf extremely boring (mind you I have not tried golf yet and after croquet it may as well turn out to be big fun as well!), I was surprised how much I loved and enjoyed playing croquet! I just simply love this game.
Players must start the game from the starting point and the goal is to pass their balls through the hoops without touching anybody else’s ball. If it does, the player whose ball was touched has a bonus hit. If the ball passed through the hoop, the player has a bonus hit. The winner is who passes the hoops and hits the pike in the middle first. We played 4 sets to give the opportunity to everybody to win one round.We’re pretty fond of the past in Great Britain, always thinking back to the ‘good old days’. We love that classic feel here at , as you might be able to tell from our website! And artificial grass is the solution to the urge in every British person’s heart for that classic green lawn! In the spirit of the past we thought we’d bring you some of vintage lawn games to play on your artificial lawn.
Apparently they played this one in Ancient Egypt, skittles do look an awful lot like canopic jars when you think about it. The best thing about this game is how easy it is to set up. If you don’t have an actual skittle set you can make your own out of old plastic bottles and a tennis ball.
English Tavern Games Table, 19th Century
This game was popular in the 1860s but is thought to have been introduced during the reign of King Charles II. It has been immortalised in culture by the Queen of Hearts, the dramatic ruler who threatened to cut off the head of the titular Alice in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Amateur croquet sets from toy stores are relatively inexpensive and easy to set up. (Though make sure you get a set that doesn’t require being pegged in for an artificial lawn, as you won’t want to punch holes through the surface!)
Bowls was once banned because people were playing it rather than learning archery, a vital skill to have in thirteenth century England. Not so much now though, unless you want to take part in your own Hunger Games. This one is great to play on artificial grass because a flat surface is key to beating your opponents.
Like most lawn games this is a measure of skill and accuracy rather than strength. The game involves throwing rings to loop over an embedded pin. Most often these pins are arranged on a cross with five pins but some versions have two square areas opposite each other in which you try to get the centrally embedded pin alternately.
Classic Outdoor Games For Kids
This is actually more of a carnival game but it’s still one you can play outside. Again this is a game of skill as you try to knock the coconuts off the poles. Giving the coconuts faces can be a good incentive to succeed (especially if it’s the face of your enemy!), as well as a way of getting the kids involved. Once upon a time coconuts were actually the prize for winning this game as they were once rare and exotic fruit!
Rather thanbuying another mug with ‘keep calm and carry on’ for the workplace, get some of that vintage spirit by having a go at some of the games above! They’re great fun for all of the family and the perfect light sport for a sunny afternoon. And if you really want to get in the mood for a traditional British summer time, make sure you have plenty of tea, lemonade and cucumber sandwiches ready for afternoon tea!The Lazy Susan team have got out heads together and compiled a top 10 of our favourite traditional garden games you can play this summer.
We’ve had a bit of a focus on garden games over the last month or so. We see them as a close relation of garden furniture, and our knowledge of all things garden makes us well placed to share some of our insight on this subject.
Why I Always Include Running Games When I Teach Kids' English Classes
Plus, we want this blog to be a place you can discover the art of ‘Lazy Living’. A place where we can share our expertise with a wide range of articles, tips, recipes and ideas for relaxed outdoor living. And outdoor games is one such subject we hold a great deal of interest.
This month we wanted to take a closer look at some of the more traditional garden games. This is a subject we looked at in terms of their origins in our history of garden games article, however, the Lazy Susan team were keen to get their heads together and compile a top 10 of our favourite traditional garden games you can play this summer.
We love the traditional. It is a philosophy we’ve applied
0 komentar:
Posting Komentar