Sport in 1700s Marlow

 Here's a list of sporting opportunities in 1700s Marlow, just in case you have a time machine being assembled in your shed and wind up there.

*See how many heads you can crack with a big stick. No go on - you might win 3 shillings. Backswords, that is trying to hit as many opponents over the head with a cudgel as possible, is taking place at the Upper Crown in 1787. You may only use the cudgel as a weapon. Your free hand will be tied to your leg and your legs may not move. If at the end of the day you have made the most cracks in heads you get the prize. Oh and by the way blood must run down the face of your opponent to count, no little taps on the skull please.

*Widow Aycott / Eycott will be having a cock fight at the Three Tuns in the 1750s. William Darke at the Lower Crown is another person to offer a "cock match" in that period. William hosts matches during the Marlow Races, taking advantage of the increased crowds in town. These are in theory between the men of Marlow and Berkshire and those of High Wycombe and Buckinghamshire. Presumably Marlow twins with Berks as it allows those from Bisham on the other side of the bridge to join the grisly team.  Doubtless other establishments can also satisfy a similar bloodlust at other times. If that's not enough for you hare coursing takes place around the town, especially at Little Marlow, plus of course the "sports" of fox and stag hunting.

*Head to Almshouse Close (seems to be off Oxford Road where the Almshouses are) in July 1786 to see the first known public cricket match played in Marlow. Two teams put together by unnamed gentlemen will play each other with a "considerable sum" at stake on the result.

*Or Head down to meadows by the riverside to enjoy Marlow's very own annual race meeting. It takes place from at least 1725 onwards on a one mile circular course. I published a long post on the history of these races in 2020. See here

*Don't forget quoits in Quoiting Place off Oxford Road. But don't be tempted to wager on the outcome of a game or you will be arrested.

Related Posts:

Avery your eyes - bathers about! Swimming in the Thames at Marlow here

List of other sports and pastime related posts for Great Marlow and Little Marlow here, plus posts about general Marlow history. 

* Charlotte Day with additional research by Kathryn Day. Will be updated on ongoing basis. 

Some sources:

Reading Mercury 17th July 1786. Copy held by the British Library archives, accessed by me via the BNA March 2021.

Oxford Journal 28th September 1787. As above.

Whitehall Evening Post 16th September 1755 (digitised by Google) 

See also my history of the Crown Inns and Marlow Races posts for more references relevant to those.

©Marlow Ancestors. You are very welcome to use this research for family or local history purposes with credit to this blog and a link here so that the sources listed above keep credit for heir contributions. Thanks.