18th Century Olympics come to Selborne

Gilbert White's House & Garden in Selborne have put together a medley of 18th Century sporting and leisure activities for their Gilbert Games & Country Fair.

Activities will include such rarities as Stool Ball, Aunt Sally, Melon Rolling, Ferret Racing (Saturday), Regency Dancing (Sunday), Boot Bowling plus a host of other period games. Costumed demonstrators will be on hand to teach participants the rules and techniques of each activity as well as about their origins and history. For those with a competitive spirit an additional £2 will allow you to compete in the games for the grand prize of a luxury celebration tea for eight at the house.

Alongside the games will be a diversity of traditional rural crafts stalls and demonstrators which include blacksmithing, coppiced woodcraft, lace making, textile decoration, knot and rope craft, quilting, book binding and wood turning.