Hallaton Hare
Pie Scrambling and Bottle Kicking
As a fan of English customs and an unwavering rugby enthusiast, I was buzzing for Hallaton’s Hare Pie Scrambling & Bottle Kicking! On a drizzly Easter Monday, I drove to the rolling Leicestershire countryside, ready for a day packed with ancient rituals and a fiercely competitive game.
Welcome from the Warrener of Hares © Martin Urch
Folklore
Legend has it that the daughter of the Hallaton Manor owner and her maid were out for a stroll when a bull charged at them with reckless abandon. Just when it seemed like their fate was sealed, a hare darted across the bull’s path, diverting its charge and providing the ladies with a miraculous escape from certain doom.
In a heartfelt act of gratitude and in thanks to God, the manor’s owner gifted land to the parish church on the condition that the rector would provide two hare pies, two dozen penny loaves, and a quantity of ale for the village’s poor every Easter Monday. This cherished celebration unfolds annually atop Hare Pie Bank Hill in Hallaton.
Blessing the Hare Pie © Martin Urch
Villagers from the neighbouring Medbourne join in the pie and ale scrambling frenzy. According to one lively tale, there was a year when Medbourne youths swiped the ale, leading to a raucous chase from the Hallaton lads. This spirited rivalry laid the foundation for the legendary Hallaton-Medbourne bottle kicking contest, with its first written account recorded as far back as 1890.
Bottle Kicking
Picture this: a small wooden barrel filled with 1 gallon of ale—known as a “Bottle”—serving as the centrepiece of a sport older than rugby and football! Bottle Kicking is a rough-and-tumble game reminiscent of rugby, involving fierce running mauls and wild brawls as teams battle to push the bottle towards goals marked by brooks about a mile apart.
The game begins © Martin Urch
Historically, the game took place in open fields, but today, that terrain is a challenging maze of fields separated by barbed wire and thorny hedges, creating strategic traps for the rival teams! Touchdowns are celebrated on the far bank of the brook, with the first team to score two rugby-style ‘tries’ emerging victorious!
The Day
As the clock struck 9 a.m. on a gloomy, rain-soaked Easter Monday in 2025, I met up with Tim Downie, of the FolkLands podcast, on the north side of Hallaton and made our way to the village green. No one was there until 10 a.m., when a casually dressed Medbourne brass band arrived, struck up marching music and as the Pied Piper drew in families to a street parade towards the Fox Inn.
After just a quick 10-minute jaunt, the band paused for refreshing pints of ale at the Fox, before leading the cheerful procession along North End, High Street and Eastgate to St. Michael’s Church. We joined the Warrener of hares, the bread lady, bottle carriers, and the Vicar for a light-hearted Easter Monday Bottle Kicking Church service.
Barbed wire obstacles © Martin Urch
By 1 p.m., everyone had reconvened at the Fox Inn, with hordes of visitors and a dashing bagpipe ensemble dressed in stunning kilts. At 1:45 p.m., the legendary Hare Pie and Bottles were ceremoniously paraded, with a moment of silent respect held outside the former Royal Oak pub—a local haunt for past generations of Bottle Kickers, now a private home. Its residents paid tribute with a minute of silence followed by three cheers for the cherished pub that once was!
Onward we marched, arriving at the church gates, where the Vicar awaited to bless the beloved Hare Pie. The yesteryear ritual of feeding the poor was transformed into a raucous celebration, as the pie was blessed, sliced, and tossed into the crowd of hundreds on Eastgate Road. The Bottles were dressed and paraded to the Hare Pie Bank hilltop, gearing up for more pie throwing and the exhilarating Bottle Kicking event to kick off. The anticipation was electric as the first bottle was hurled into the scrum!
Securing the Bottle © Martin Urch
Bottle kicking is nothing short of a spectacle. With two medical vehicles on standby, the ambulance was promptly called into action within five minutes, as the two village teams clashed fiercely for the coveted Bottle. The dispossessed team fought valiantly to impale their opponents on barbed wire and thorny hedges to halt their momentum. Ultimately, Hallaton seized control and scored a rugby-style try twice to claim a triumphant 2-0 victory.
Scoring a try © Martin Urch
From the heights of Hare Pie Bank, the fit and the wounded made their way to The Buttercross for a glorious finale. This iconic ironstone post-medieval cross stands proudly at about 3 meters, crowned with a ball finial. Several players climbed atop the monument, perched on the ball. They raised their voices in thanks and delivered three cheers for their valiant opposition before sipping ale from the uncorked wooden Bottle. It was the perfect conclusion to a splendid day!
What next
I joined the Druids for Beltaine. See the spectacular sunrise ceremony on Glastonbury Tor, jumping over fire, and maypole passions.
Martin Urch Photography owns the copyright to all writing and images
