Bottle-kicking (original) (raw)

Bottle-kicking is an old Leicestershire custom that takes place in the village of Hallaton each Easter Monday. It is an outdoor sport played across a mile-long playing area, in which two teams attempt to move a wooden barrel (known as a "bottle") across the opposing team's stream at the far end of the area. Records of bottle-kicking date to the late 18th century, but the custom is thought to originate much earlier, from before the Christian era.