Scoring the Hales

Scoring the Hales is the name of a large scale shrovetide football match played yearly in Alnwick, Northumberland. Once a street contest, it has now moved to a field named The Pasture across the River Aln from Alnwick Castle. The match involves about 150 men on either side and is a contest between the parishes of St Michael and St Paul. The goals are decorated with greenery and stand about 400 yards apart.

The original game started with the ball being sent over the Barbican of the Castle to the crowd assembled below. It was then kicked through the streets of the town. Occasionally the game went towards Bondgate Tower and from there to the pastures. In consequence of danger arising from kicking the ball through the town the game within the town was discontinued in 1825 and has since been confined to the pastures.

Nowadays the ball is fetched from the castle in procession, preceded by the Duke of Northumberland's piper. The game is won by whichever team is first to score 3 "hales" or goals, after which there is a wild scramble to get the ball off the pitch. Whoever manages to carry it off is allowed to keep the ball, but often has to swim the River Aln to escape with it.