The Cotswold Olimpicks take place on the Thursday and Friday of the week of Whitsun, normally between mid-May and mid-June. This year it was on May 29th. The Olimpicks were set up by Robert Dover on Dover’s Hill near Chipping Camden, in the early 17th Century. Inspired by the Greek Olympics, he felt the modern world could do with an infusion of the original spirit.
The Olimpicks has a collection of tradition sports such as the sack race, and the tug of war. But the one that receives the most attention is shin-kicking. Two contestants try to knock each other over by kicking each other in the shins! They are not supposed to pull or push their opponent over. Or use Judo style throws. Protective gear is supplied in the form of straw or hay packed down the socks.
For more, see the official site below:
For other Cotswold content, look at my posts:
coopers-hill-cheese-rolling-may-26th/
campden-house-fire-sunday-march-23rd-1862/
chipping-campden-murder-august-16th-1660/
On This Day
70 – Siege of Jerusalem moves towards its end as the Roman legions breach the Outer Wall of Jerusalem. The Romans build a circumvallation, around the City cutting it off.
1381 – Beginning of the Peasants’ Revolt in England. John Bampton arrives in Brentwood demanding payment of unpaid Poll Tax. He interrogates Thomas Baker of Fobbing. Violence breaks out Bampton flees to London, three of his clerks and some townsfolk are killed. (see my post on the Peasants Revolt here.)
1431 – 19-year-old Joan of Arc is burned at the stake in Rouen. France (for her canonisation see my post here. Near the bottom under On This Day section).
1842 – Assassination attempt on Queen Victoria as she drives down Constitution Hill near Buckingham Palace in London. John Francis had tried to shoot her on the previous day near the Mall. His gun misfired and he escaped. On the 30th May, Queen Victoria deliberately went out again to try to encourage a second attempt. Francis shot his pistol, but didn’t hit anybody. He was arrested and sentenced to death (later commuted to life imprisonment).
First published 1 June 2025, Revised OnThis Day added May 30th 2026
Discover more from And Did Those Feet
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Who on Earth do the shinkickers find to practise on during the year? We stopped doing this at school in about the third year when none of the duellists succeeded in kicking each other down, but every participant’s shins were a horrendous mass of bruises & chaps were hobbling around school like disabled veterans. Knees received even more serious damage in (accidental) miskicks.
Ah! But did you stuff your socks with straw? Because that is what they do.