Winchelsea Street Game

About

Every Boxing Day, at 11:00am, Castle Street in the Ancient Town of Winchelsea briefly becomes the scene of a bizarre and bruising spectacle. Three teams try to win an object called "the Frenchman's Head" and place it in a goal at one end of the street. There are no rules and little mercy is shown to other players (or spectators) who get in the way. Amazingly, injuries are few and typically limited to cuts and bruises, and occasional lumps on the head. Some essential modicum of order is maintained by the marshall, who throws the Frenchman's Head into the street and sits on the barrel which acts as the goal, in order to ensure it remains in place.

The vigour of the Game means that it rarely lasts beyond about 20 minutes or finishes with the full complement of players who started. Participants include younger residents, people visiting relatives and even passing hikers. With the final whistle, the players and onlookers depart for the pub to tell each other how well they played.