Cotswold Olimpicks, Dover’s Hill, Friday 29th May 2009
As Britain prepares for the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games, on a Cotswold hill between Broadway and Chipping Campden, on Friday 29th May 2009, the oldest Olimpick Society in the world, Robert Dover’s Games Society held its own Games.
In mounting their bid for the 2012 Olympics the British Olympic Association referred to Dover’s Games as “the first stirring of Britain’s Olympic beginnings” and in 2012 the Robert Dover’s Olimpick Games will celebrate their 400th anniversary.
Three hundred and ninety eight years ago, Robert Dover (1575 - 1641), revived the spirit of Ancient Greece on the hillside which has since been named after him. Today the games are held annually at the end of May. This year’s games which took place in glorious evening Cotswold sunshine included; a 5 mile run, junior race around the hill for under 15s, tug o’war, shuffle board race, gurning and the slightly crazy Shin-Kicking British Championships.
The 2009 Games were opened at 7.30pm by Father John Brennan (as Robert Dover) and Paul Dare (as Endymion Porter). Hundreds of people gathered on the hill to enjoy the sunshine and be entertained by the competitors, especially those competing in the obstacle race to become Champion of the Hill, the Tug o’War and British Shin-Kicking Championship (an event where the competitors wear white coats and stuff straw down their trouser legs to protect their shins).
After the events, a huge bonfire was lit by the Scuttlebrook Queen followed by a fantastic firework display that lit up the sky. This was followed by a torchlit procession down the hill to Chipping Campden Square where ‘The Copycats’ played into the night.