HALLATON BOTTLE KICKING

HARE PIE SCRAMBLE AND BOTTLE KICKING

At Hallaton in Leicestershire, the Hare Pie Scramble and

Bottle Kicking, an unruly rugby game between the village of

Hallaton and Medbourne, takes place every Easter Monday.

Hallaton is picturesque village with lots of old thatched cottages

and set in beautiful countryside. Small wooden barrels filled

with ale are used as rugby balls in the no-holds barrel contest,

the object of which is to get each of the three casks to a

touchline in either village.

The custom dates back to 1770, the Rector of Hallaton

was allotted a piece of land on condition that he provided

two hare pies, two dozen loaves of bread and a quantity of ale,

which has to be scrambled for in public.