Housing plans are threatening 'medieval football' tradition that dates back to the 12th century
- Get your news delivered straight to you by 7am - sign up to our new Morning Mail newsletter for FREE
- See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source
By NOOR QURASHI, NEWS REPORTER
Published: | Updated:
Plans to build 250 new homes in a market town could disrupt an historic 350-year-old football tradition, organisers have claimed.
Houses are earmarked for 35 acres of pastoral farmland off the Green Road in Ashbourne.
Steve Jones, secretary of the Ashbourne Royal Shrovetide Football Committee, has written to the local council opposing the development - saying it could cause 'significant harm to Ashbourne's most important culture and economic assets'.
The Up'Ards in the town - born north of Henmore Brook - have traditionally played the Down'Ards - born south of the river - every Shrove Tuesday and Ash Wednesday.
The two-day game, known as Royal Shrovetide Football, originated in 1667 but has its roots in the 12th century.
It has no conventional pitch or fixed boundary, starting each day at 2pm and continuing until 10pm.
The goals are three miles apart at each end of the town - Sturston Mill and Clifton Mill.
Players fight for possession of the ball during the Royal Shrovetide Football Match after the ball ends up in the Henmore Brook that inspired the game's origins
Competitors from the opposing teams, the Up'ards and the Down'ards, fight for the ball during the annual Royal Shrovetide Football Match in Ashbourne
Players from north and south of the Henmore Brook clash during the Royal Shrovetide Football Match - with their geography dictating the team they play for
Mr Jones said the proximity of the proposed development to Sturston Mill goal would 'obstruct a large proportion of the gameplay area'.
He added: 'This would fundamentally undermine the continued operation of the game in its historic form and is likely to impact the success and attraction of the game.
'Consequently, the proposed development would not only provide significant harm to this unique cultural asset within Ashbourne, but it would also cause direct economic damage to the town through knock-on effects to the local economy and local tourism.'
A petition has been signed by more than 670 people, warning the housing plans present an 'irreversible threat' to Ashbourne's heritage.
Organiser Brett O'Connell, who said the development 'cuts straight across where the Royal Shrovetide game goes', told the BBC: 'We feel it would become an issue and the developers are aware of this by keeping a portion as open space. But the game doesn’t stick to planned routes so I think there’ll be quite a few people if they move in, they’ll be quite shocked about what happens on the day.'
Developer Hallam Land Management has defended the plans, arguing they will 'deliver a sensitively designed residential addition to Ashbourne'.
A planning document adds: 'The various constraints and opportunities of the site have been carefully considered.'
The Royal Shrovetide Football event remains a top fixture in the town's events calendar since it was first played hundreds of years ago.
The plot earmarked for the housing development is indicated here in red on a map. The proximity of the proposed development to Sturston Mill goal would 'obstruct a large proportion of the gameplay area', critics claim
Play gets underway in the 2024 Royal Shrovetide Football Match in Ashbourne - with a ball decorated with a crown
In Ashbourne, Derbyshire, the local Boots pharmacy has put up a full-length chipboard door ahead of the annual football game
Infamously, the game itself has few rules, allowing competitors to engage in a wide range of behaviour in order to keep hold of the giant sphere for themselves.
The ball is specially made, and weighs around 4lbs, filled with cork to help it float should it fall into the river.
Key amongst its participants is the 'turner up' - a respected local chosen to start play by throwing the ball into the air. Among past turners-up is King Charles III.
While there are few rules, play remains out of churchyards, cemeteries and places of worship.
More recently, a ban was introduced on motorised vehicles to stop savvier players from running off with the ball in their cars.
KioskNews shows a cleaned-up reading view extracted from the publisher’s page — the original always lives on their site, not ours.