HARE-PIE SCRAMBLING.

Grey River Argus, 18 June 1927, Page 1 (Supplement)

HARE-PIE SCRAMBLING.

CURIOUS OLD CUSTOM. Two of the most curious of old English customs —Hare-Pie Scrambling and Bottle Kicking—are held at Hallaton, Leicestershire, every Easter. Their ori gin is doubtful. The rector, however, holds a certain piece of land in the parish on condition that he provides two hare pies, a quantity of ale and two dozen penny loaves, to be scrambled for on Easter Monday. The first event comprises the carving of the pies on the rectory lawn by the rector, a service in the Hallaton Church, attended by the local sick clubs, and the scrambling for the pies by the crowd at a place called Hard-Pie Bank. In the bottle-kicking ceremony, a bottle of ale is thrown into the air, caught twice by the thrower, but allowed to fall to the ground the third time, when the kicking begins. Rival teams from Hallaton and the neighbouring village of Medbourne take part, ■ and the goj.il is reached when the bottle i has been rushed over the brook which flows through the town. Once over the brook the bottles are carried to the village cross; the corks • are drawn, and the churned up ale is I drunk.