Hallaton Bottle Kicking & Hare Pie Scramble

What to expect

The afternoon starts with a parade through Hallaton led by a pipe band, followed by the ceremonial cutting and sharing of the hare pie. Then the crowd heads out to Hare Pie Bank, where the contest begins. Three 'bottles' are used: small wooden casks, two filled with beer and sealed with wax, and a solid 'dummy' painted red and white. Hallaton and Medbourne each try to force the bottles across the boundary stream on their own side, by almost any means, in a scrum of locals that surges over fields, hedges and ditches. The winners are lifted onto Hallaton's stone Butter Cross, where the beer is opened, drunk and shared.

The story behind it

Nobody knows exactly how the custom began, but supporters believe it may stretch back a thousand years or more. One popular tale tells of two village women saved from a charging bull by a hare, and of a grateful thank-you gift of hare pie and ale to the church; another links the event to much older spring rites. The organising committee's chairman has even pointed to links with the origins of rugby. Whatever the truth, the hare pie, the bottles and the Butter Cross have kept the two villages locked in friendly rivalry for generations.

Getting there and home

Hallaton has no station. Market Harborough, about eight miles away, is the nearest, with good connections from London St Pancras and the East Midlands; book a taxi or arrange a lift for the final stretch, and for the return. Driving is the easiest option, but the lanes around the village fill quickly on Easter Monday, so arrive early and park where stewards direct. Market Harborough has the best choice of places to stay.

Watching, taking part and tips

The bottle kicking itself is played by the two villages' teams, so visitors watch. The parade and pie ceremony are the most relaxed parts of the day for families. Once the contest starts, the scrum can move fast and without warning across rough, muddy ground, so keep well back and watch children closely. Wear boots and waterproofs, and be ready for a fair bit of walking as the action roams between the villages. The finale at the Butter Cross is the best place to be at the end.

Where to watch

Forget any idea of a pitch-side line that stays put. Medbourne’s village account describes bottles being carried, rolled, kicked and thrown, with no referee and no fixed time limit. Read which way the whole group is heading, not just the person you think has the bottle. A quiet patch of grass can become part of the contest in moments, so always keep a clear way to step back and let people through.

If you’d like the custom without the rough and tumble, the village ceremonies have plenty to watch. The local account includes penny loaves and dressing the bottles as well as the pie, and the English Folk Dance and Song Society explains how the procession links the church, the Butter Cross and Hare Pie Bank. Follow those changes of scene; everything before the scrum is part of the show, not just waiting.

Background sources don’t agree on every detail of the running order, and Medbourne’s online timetable is a historical one, so go by a newly issued local programme for where to stand and when. Keep the afternoon loose, especially if you’ve arranged a lift home: a contest with no set finish doesn’t mix well with a tight onward connection.

Accessibility and families

Think about the village gathering and the field contest separately when deciding whether the day suits your party. Medbourne’s description warns that spectators who get too close can find themselves dragged in, and it mentions injuries and first aid. A child who loves a parade may not love standing beside a heaving mass of adults. Pick a spot with room to retreat, and head off before the field action if that suits your family better.

Ask the organisers about the actual surfaces and facilities for the part you plan to attend. The sources mention streams, hedges and open ground, but nothing about a step-free spectator route, accessible toilet or reserved viewing area. And being able to drive to the village doesn’t mean every part of the custom is reachable without walking. Put a specific question about your needs to the organisers.

If someone fancies joining the game, plan that separately from the family’s watching arrangements and ask first how participation currently works. No conventional referee doesn’t mean you should invent your own safety rules. A quieter spot in the village makes a sensible place to regroup.

Make a day of it nearby

Hallaton Museum is at the Tin Tab in Churchgate, behind the church. Its website has exhibition information plus a village trail and St Morrell’s Round, both good ways to get to know the surroundings instead of simply waiting for the pie parade. Check its current visiting arrangements, as a small local collection may not open daily like a big attraction. Save a longer walk for when it won’t clash with event crowds and directions.

Harborough Museum in Market Harborough takes the story much further back. The Hallaton Treasure, found in 2000, includes thousands of coins and a Roman cavalry helmet, and the museum also explores local industries and the Symington Building it occupies. It’s an excellent companion visit if you want to understand why this small corner of Leicestershire draws interest well beyond bottle kicking.

So you have two scales of visit: village context right beside the custom, or a larger collection in the town that may already be your transport base. Check Easter opening at each and choose to suit. The holiday doesn’t mean every nearby museum will be open, and a museum visit won’t reserve you a place at the ceremonies.

Questions people ask

Where it is

Map pin shows the approximate area where the event happens. Open in OpenStreetMap ↗

Go straight to the source

Independent research. The organiser’s own information always wins — we have not visited or tested the journeys.

• Express & Star: 2025 bottle kicking ↗
• Rutland & Stamford Sound: Hallaton defend their title ↗
• Medbourne village: bottle kicking and historical arrangements ↗
• English Folk Dance and Song Society: Hare Pie and Bottle Kicking ↗
• Hallaton Museum: official information and trails ↗
• Harborough Museum: official collections and visiting information ↗