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The children’s tug-of-war 1979

Past events

In the past, rolling and chasing a cheese were only part of the Cooper’s Hill Wake.

There are reports, from the early 1800s of other competitions;

‘dancing for ribbons’

‘wrestling for a belt’

‘grinning (through a horse’s collar) for a cake’

‘dipping in a tub of water for oranges and apples’

‘bobbing for penny loaves smeared with treacle’

‘shin-kicking’!

Later these events were replaced by a flower show, climbing the maypole, tug-of-war and cocoanut-shies.

In the early 1900s, ‘children’s sports and scrambling for buns’ were reported.

A junior tug-of-war was introduced in the 1970s, but this, the senior tug-of-war and the children’s races had all been abandoned by 1994.

The only event that continues today, apart from the Cheese Rolling races, and the uphill races, is the children’s ‘scramble’ for sweets that are scattered on the hill after the main events.

In the past buns, pieces of cake or biscuits have been used.

It is thought that this is symbolic of a fertility rite, performed in the hope of producing a good harvest.