at the Red Lion, Corby. He kindly sent in the picture of their fine table to the left and said "Here for (apart from the legs, don't know what happened to them) and lovingly polished since then, and is somewhat confusingly known simply as "Skittles" - this is possible because Americans don't play the

that of Hood Skittles, from which it is presumably derived and it is only known to be played in one This is a full-size League Standard Bar Skittles game consisting of a beech frame surrounding, a baize-covered base and nine ash skittle pins that have been hand-turned in England. The ball is solid beech and is suspended from an ash pole. prevents wayward cheeses and pins flying off into other parts of the pub. Most people who've played, A game of great skill for pubs and pub leagues or straight-forward, brilliant fun at home for all ages.approximately 1820. One of the games (shown on the right) was the most beautiful Table a Toupie game Skittles or Nine Pins as played on an alley is still one of the most popular pub games and is the ancestor of a number of games including ten-pin bowling. However, it does take up a lot of space and so it's no surprise that miniaturised versions of the pastime eventually started to appear.

years ago when I first moved into Corby, and no doubt it was there well before then. It's been cared games of this era, it seems likely to have originated in England or France but it's not clear which. In common with many local and regional pub games, it's likely that most pubgoers outside of the games core area have probably never heard of this version of skittles, least of all seen a game in progress. In fact the only national exposure the game has had to my knowledge was when it featured on the 1970's Yorkshire Television series ' Indoor League', with local Leicestershire lad Bill Maynard teaching host Fred Trueman the rudiments of the game, albeit that they were using a Leicester Skittles Tables set with Northants skittles, as is often the case in South Leicestershire pubs. from Leicestershire. Top right is an example of Northants Skittles ready for play, courtesy of Paul The smoking ban was well established when I played and I don't think it put anyone off actually turning out for the team, but clearly it's reduced pub-going in general, and more specifically at the kind of pubs you're most likely to find skittles is played leading to more of those pubs closing. Teams have always moved around, you'll often see teams named after pubs that are now closed, but there's definitely less pubs with tables now, hence less participation. The food issue has certainly squeezed skittles out of pubs, much more so than in West Country or Long Alley where the game is generally played outdoors or in buildings separate to the pub. Table Skittles is noisy, it only fits in wet-led pubs and those with separate games rooms. Needless to say, the rise of Micro-pubs and Wetherspoon have not created opportunities for Table Skittles to thrive. Nevertheless new venues do open and install a table now and then, the Albion Brewery Bar in Northampton has a good table and fields a team in the local league.

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referred to as Table Skittles while outside this area, it is not well known and Table Skittles tends The surrounding leather bound and cushioned sides of the table offer the option to bounce the cheese

Pastimes of the English people". From his text, believed to have been first published in 1801, comes To prepare each nine miniature pins are positioned on a small platform within the square game board. In the corner of the board, stands a pole with a ball suspended by a chain from its top. The ball is swung around the pole in such a way that upon its return, it ploughs through nine skittles on a platform. Aside from the equipment and the location on a table top, the rules are pretty much the same as skittles with the maximum theoretical score in one turn being 27 points. As with several pub games, scoring is often performed on a cribbage board.

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consider Hood Skittles to be one of the most enjoyable English pub games around so it would be well This version of Bar Skittles is constructed to Masters Traditional games design. Manufactured in the UK by a craft shop with a long tradition in quality wooden products, the game looks as good as it plays. Our League Bar Skittles is beautifully made and a pleasure to play. Daddlums is a Hood Skittles variant in which the cheese is normally thrown so that it lands near the

Skittles are positioned amongst the rooms and a top is then sent spinning from one end of the table This game is suitable for pubs, clubs, fairs, events and competitions as well as for casual use at home. table about 8 feet away. It is extremely popular Northamptonshire and well known in Leicestershire, with multiple intricate brass fitments and little bells to ring as well as skittles to topple. It is Many of the traditional games which have been a part of our pub culture for generations are in serious, perhaps even terminal decline. This decline in pub game play mirrors the more general decline in pub going of recent years. This blog aims to document a few of these fine (and fun) pastimes before they, and the pubs where they are still played, finally disappear forever. I urge you to help protect our traditions. Please visit your own local pubs, drink their beer, play their games...

The final piece of evidence discovered so far is from the famous book by Joseph Strutt - "Sports and front of the table and then slides forward until it strikes the skittles. The table is smaller than