[Ravensfort] croquet

jacinth jacinth at mail.ev1.net
Tue Oct 12 08:16:51 PDT 2004


loveofhalesworth <loveofhalesworth at yahoo.com>:
>As well I would love to set up the ladies croquet match/game. 

It might be interesting to point out that croquet as we know it dates back
to the 1800s.  There are claims that it may have originated from games
played by French peasants as far back as the 14th century, but I have not
seen the documentation for this (third-hand info is not good enough for
me).  There was a game called paille-maille which was a a sort of outdoor
billiards (a century before billiards actually came into being... probably 
bringing the game indoors) more like lawn bowling... this was late 16th 
century, which would make it the end of our period... but that still isn't our 
croquet.  Another source relates a story (and that is all we have are stories)
that the came was developed indoors as a sport to play during the winter
and moved outdoors... that the hoops and obstacles were added to make
it more challenging to play in a smaller area... but I have yet to see how
it was actually played... if it was billiards or an obstacle course like we have
today.  That is still pretty shaky IMHO.  In any case, it was apparently not
very popular, although Scottish golfers were said to use it (paille-maille) as 
a sort of practice in the 16th century.  James I of England (aka James VI of 
Scotland) brought both golf and paille-maille equipment with him when he 
was crowned in 1604.

Might I suggest bocce as a more period alternative... more in keeping with
1300-1400 time period?  It is bonafide documentable all the way back to
the Romans.  

Regards,
-Jacinth-



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