How social and cultural factors shaped sports and pasttimes in pre-industrial Britain
Sport has always had a major influence on society, from preparing the population for war, to hunting for food or improving their fitness.
During the medieval times the poor (peasants) had little time and energy to be involved in activities that were nothing to do with working on the land.
Activities such as mob football were played during holidays, where the whole village were able to participate.
During the medieval times the poor (peasants) had little time and energy to be involved in activities that were nothing to do with working on the land.
Activities such as mob football were played during holidays, where the whole village were able to participate.
Mob Football
Played between villages on days of festivals or celebrations.
Highly violent, so those not participating would stay and barricade themselves in their homes whilst the game was taking place.
Developed from Shrovetide football.
Some argue that it developed from a pagan ritual, where the sun was represented by the ball, conquering the ball and moving it around the field. Thus helping to have a good harvest.
Possible impact of Norman invasion.
Records show that deaths and serious injury have occurred as a result of mob football.
Highly violent, so those not participating would stay and barricade themselves in their homes whilst the game was taking place.
Developed from Shrovetide football.
Some argue that it developed from a pagan ritual, where the sun was represented by the ball, conquering the ball and moving it around the field. Thus helping to have a good harvest.
Possible impact of Norman invasion.
Records show that deaths and serious injury have occurred as a result of mob football.
Cock fighting
Medieval links, played in a pit with a large fence.
Upper-class sport - is this why it lasted so long ?
Gambling took play during the cock fights.
1849 an Act of Parliament made it illegal.
Lower classes particpated in "throwing at cocks"; where the cockerel was tied to stake and payment was made to throw sticks and stones at the cockerel. Knocking over the bird, and picking up the stick/stone before the bird would result in the bird becoming yours. You could then charge others to do the same.
Upper-class sport - is this why it lasted so long ?
Gambling took play during the cock fights.
1849 an Act of Parliament made it illegal.
Lower classes particpated in "throwing at cocks"; where the cockerel was tied to stake and payment was made to throw sticks and stones at the cockerel. Knocking over the bird, and picking up the stick/stone before the bird would result in the bird becoming yours. You could then charge others to do the same.
Influences in pre-industrial Britain
Social class
Upper class - gentry/aristocracy Lower/peasant class - those who worked on the land |
Your social class would affect the sport/activity that you took part in:
Lower class - mob football, prize fighting, dog fighting - simple and violent sports. Upper class - real tennis, fox hunting - money would be needed to participate. Both classes - pedestrianism (a form of walking races); the lower class would compete and the upper class would sponsor. |
Gender
Men and women participated in different activities. Women were seen as weaker than men, and would be frowned upon taking part in strenuous or dangerous activities. The rights of women at these times were limited, and they had little choices. |
Lower class women - smock races
Upper class women - archery |
Law & Order
Little law and order at the time, this impacted on the activities taking place. The sports identified displayed this lack of law and order. |
Lower class - more violent & more violent activities (bare-knuckled fighting, animal baiting).
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Education and Literacy
Education rates varied based on your social class. The peasants were mostly uneducated, whereas the upper class were educated and literate. |
Upper class - educated and literate so were able to take part in more sophisticated sports (real tennis)
Peasant/lower class - simple sports with little rules (mob football) |
Availability of time.
Based on your social class, you would have different amounts of time available to you, to participate in activities. Due to long working days of the peasant class, activities were restricted to festivals/holy day fairs. Some sports were based around pubs. Sports could not last for long periods for the lower class. Transport had a big impact. Upper class had more time and could spend more time on activities. |
Pubs - bare knuckled fighting.
Upper class - Fox hunting |
Availability of money. Not a surprise that the upper class had more money than the lower class, and this would allow them more opportunity to be involved in sport. Having access to the land and owning the land led to sports on these lands becoming exclusive to the land owners/aristocracy, Having more time on their hands helped the upper class. |
Upper class - could purchase horses and equipment for hunting.
Upper class - could afford to build real tennis courts. |
Types of availability of transport
Mainly horse & cart to move around at the time. Most people would have to walk to get around. Roads were in a really bad state, so most people did not leave their villages. Sports developed locally due to the lack of transport. The rules would be simple or unwritten. |
Upper class - better opportunity to travel (still limited due to shape of roads).
Upper class/gentry - Real tennis. courts would be a distant from their homes. Henry VIII even built his own Real tennis court at Hampton Court Palace. |