Cotswold Olimpick Games

The Cotswold Olimpick Games is an annual public celebration of games and sports. It is held on the Friday after the Spring Bank Holiday near Chipping Campden, in the Cotswolds of England.

These games likely began in 1612. They continued with some breaks and revivals until they stopped completely in 1852. The games were brought back to life in 1963 and are still going strong as of 2024.

The games started because of a local lawyer named Robert Dover. He had the support of King James I. Dover may have thought that physical exercise was important, or he may have wanted to bring people together. During the games, people from all levels of society came to watch and take part. Once, even royalty attended.

Events

The Cotswold Olimpick Games had many fun activities like horse-racing, running, jumping, dancing, and wrestling. People also played games such as chess and cards, and there was plenty of food for everyone. A special wooden structure called Dover Castle was built with small cannons to start the events.

These games were normally held in mid-May or mid-June. Over time, the games changed and included new activities like tug of war, motorcycle scrambling, and morris dancing. Today, the games continue each year on the Friday after the Spring Bank Holiday, keeping alive an old tradition. The British Olympic Association has recognised the Cotswold Olimpick Games as "the first stirrings of Britain's Olympic beginnings".

Origins

The first Cotswold Olimpick Games were likely held in 1612. They were organized by a lawyer named Robert Dover. Dover probably grew up in Norfolk and studied at Queens' College at Cambridge. He later moved near Chipping Campden.

The games may have started from an event like a church ale. They had the support of King James. He believed that public games could help people feel connected to their king. Dover wanted the games to promote physical fitness and bring people together. Famous poets praised the games for being peaceful and well-behaved. By 1636, the games were called "Olimpicks," linking them to the Olympics of ancient Greece.

Proceedings

The Cotswold Olimpick Games were held in a natural amphitheatre on Dover's Hill, above the town of Chipping Campden in Gloucestershire. The games took place on the Thursday and Friday of Whit-Week, which usually occurred between mid-May and mid-June.

People of all ages came to watch and take part in fun sports and activities. These included horse-racing, running, jumping, dancing, sledgehammer throwing, and wrestling. Winners received prizes such as silver trophies.

The events were happy and full of fun. Visitors enjoyed entertainment such as a harper dressed as the Greek poet Homer and a maze made from turf called a Troy Town. There were also small games of chance in booths and tents. The games ended with a grand firework display.

Controversy

In the 1600s, many Puritans believed that fun activities might displease God. They did not like celebrations such as the Cotswold Olimpick Games, thinking they were old traditions that could lead to bad behavior.

King James and later King Charles I supported these games. Charles I made a rule allowing people to enjoy feasts and games. However, fighting during the English Civil War in 1642 caused the games to stop for a time.

First revival, 1660–1850

The Cotswold Olimpick Games started again in 1660 after a long break. At first, they were like a fun country fair. By the 1740s, many people came to watch games such as backsword fighting and wrestling. Local leaders organized the games.

In the mid-1800s, the games stopped. The land where they were held was split up, and the last games were in 1852.

Shakespearean connection

Some historians think the Cotswold Olimpick Games may have inspired William Shakespeare. They point to a possible reference in his play The Merry Wives of Windsor, but this reference didn’t appear until after Shakespeare’s death, in a later book called the First Folio. Because of this, we don’t know for sure if Shakespeare wrote it or even saw the games.

Scholars like Samuel Johnson and Edmond Malone were among the first to suggest a link between the games and Shakespeare’s works. More recently, a historian named Francis Burns thinks the wrestling scene in As You Like It shows influence from these games. However, there is no proof that Shakespeare ever attended the games himself.

Second revival, 1951–present-day

Dover's Hill was purchased by the National Trust in 1928. The games started again for the 1951 Festival of Britain and have been held every year since 1966. They are usually held on the evening of the Friday after the Spring Bank Holiday. Thousands of visitors come to enjoy events such as tug of war, gymkhana, shin-kicking, dwile flonking, morris dancing, and more. After dark, a bonfire is lit, followed by a torchlight procession to Chipping Campden.

The British Olympic Association sees these games as an early influence on the Olympic Games. Even though the games were sometimes cancelled because of bad weather, disease, or other issues, they kept adding new events each year, including special activities for children. The games stopped in 2020 and 2021 because of the COVID-19 pandemic but have started again since then.