Pretty towns with universities

[KS10]

You had to steal something from another hall of residence - St Patrick's and Wantage were huge rivals - and put it on the bonfire, something like a part of the main clock. The residents would watch over their building, but should an item be stolen, they would then have to prevent it from being chucked on to the bonfire . This involved lots of drunk students charging at other drunk students. I remember hiding behind a bush wondering why anyone would put themselves in such danger. This was in 1987. I think it was banned soon after that.

[Reading Mum]

My DH was at Reading 85-88 and remembers this well - he says there were a lot of flaming torches made out of stolen bits of wood.

[Reading Mum]

Not sure that compares to tar barrel rolling at Ottery St Mary - google it

My Mum lives there - it is totally barking!

[ToadMum]

On the subject of totally barking - Cheese Rolling (Cooper's Hill, approx 1 in 2 gradient, near Gloucester, late May bank holiday) .

[Guest55]

On the subject of totally barking - Cheese Rolling (Cooper's Hill, approx 1 in 2 gradient, near Gloucester, late May bank holiday) .

My hall of residence actually organised an evening out at Ottery for us naive freshers ...

[hermanmunster]

For those who venture to St Andrews there is always Raisin. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-e ... e-41723479" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[doodles]

On the subject of totally barking - Cheese Rolling (Cooper's Hill, approx 1 in 2 gradient, near Gloucester, late May bank holiday) .

Or the Tinsley Green World Marble Championships and the Chiddingstone Real Football Match, both on Good Friday. Ds1 has played in the latter for the last couple of years and it is the maddest thing, the pitch is about a mile long, there's about 100 players per side and it takes about 4 hours!!

[anotherdad]

the pitch is about a mile long, there's about 100 players per side and it takes about 4 hours!!

Sounds like any game involving West Bromwich Albion.

Reminds me of a story I heard about the origins of one of our major national sports. Many years ago at a school in Rugby, two teams of young men gathered for a game of association football. One of the boys, a lad called William Webb Ellis, picked the ball up and ran off with it. Everyone else stood around in a field for hours doing nothing. The game of cricket was born.

(With apologies to Guest55 )

[KS10]

My DH was at Reading 85-88 and remembers this well - he says there were a lot of flaming torches made out of stolen bits of wood.

Gosh, I'd forgotten about that! Drunk (mainly male) students brandishing flaming torches! Alcohol or fire but not both.

[kenyancowgirl]

the pitch is about a mile long, there's about 100 players per side and it takes about 4 hours!!

Sounds like any game involving West Bromwich Albion.

Reminds me of a story I heard about the origins of one of our major national sports. Many years ago at a school in Rugby, two teams of young men gathered for a game of association football. One of the boys, a lad called William Webb Ellis, picked the ball up and ran off with it. Everyone else stood around in a field for hours doing nothing. The game of cricket was born.

(With apologies to Guest55 )