Games Shows & Workshops
| There are so many different games to consider - across such a wide historical range - that it just is not possible to show everything here. To include ourselves in every variation of each period costume would make the page even lengthier! We have started a Picture Gallery so to visit click on this link. Demonstration or Workshop?While all of our games presentations shown below are given to be hands on and have a go for all - and we are always pleased to offer suggestions or information to take away for onward play - we do also offer more structured workshops. Here children can explore, design, make and decorate their own simple traditional games or toys to take home and keep. Please look toward the bottom of the page at 'Games and Activity Workshops' to see ideas and some details of we can offer (or do get in touch with your requirements) |
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The best games and puzzles either go on for ever - or suddenly re-appear as if from nowhere… Backgammon has its history way back in Roman games but possibly its English heyday as Medieval Tables: A vicious game, often played with rowdy team support, it sometimes lead to murder or at least to riots; we play ours quite sedately, using counters cast from originals. |
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Nine Man's Morris was often permitted - even encouraged for novice monks - as a game of strategy to train the young mind (as doubtless does the current internet league) Counting boards and cloths for scoring also provide a valuable lesson. |
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We begin the Merrils games with Three Man’s Morris, which many recognise and find accessible as allied to naughts and crosses - where space, time and sufficient bodies permit we play a live game with human pieces and do also show the six and nine men's boards. Fox and Geese also remains familiar from medieval and Tudor times to having its more modern versions - read on to see some which may surprise... |
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Even the most obscure brainteaser strikes unexpected recognition: Our reconstruction of the medieval Baguenaudier puzzle that was excavated at Metz is hailed by Chinese visitors as a ‘cho lin hua’. Both names may more or less mean ‘walking the rings’ - but I don’t suppose we’ll ever know in which direction the original invention traveled! |
Recent 'piece de resistance' is a tabletop marbles bridge depicting Old London Bridge with all its houses: the Tudors, even Queen Elizabeth, certainly played it as ‘Troule en Madame’ (it may or may not even be the medieval game ‘Shooting Starlings') It survived two further centuries as 'Trolly My Dames', faded then returned as Marbles Bridge for the Victorians - to become popular once more as an interwar tin or board toy last century. |
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The Stuart century saw the arrival of many of the classic card games such as Put, Loo and Whist. Noddy (or Cribbage) was introduced to Court around 1630 by Sir John Suckling (who falsely claimed invention) and with dice games like 'Fall Down Dead' survived the Commonwealth. |
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The accession of William & Mary brought Dutch influenced games like Sjoelen - a new take on bowls and marbles bridge games - with slots reminiscent of low canal bridges. |
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The Georgian and Regency vice for gambling saw crazes for new games like Dominoes - probably brought back from Italy on the Grand Tour - sweep all levels of society. Early printed games like Goose begin to appear, though many such were still mounted to fold up like modern maps. Cards become more popular - so these are heavily taxed by the Crown. |
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Many old games endure unchanged but others are revived or reinvented: Tiger & Goats (or probably inappropriate Tiger & Sepoys) 'from India' has the same rules as the earlier Fox & Geese; exotic 'oriental' Ponghowkie just like the Vikings' taafel game. |
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Our Victorian presentation includes copies of the now widely commercially produced board games: Some obvious survivals can still appear strange to modern eyes; others, such as Temperance and Empire building games now seem very odd. |
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Replica tops, tiddlywinks, marbles, cup & ball or dancing and climbing acrobat toys can be played with by visitors of all ages - and our range is always growing - |
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- but we are also happy to offer sedate traditional pastimes for more dignified adults lest they become bored waiting... |
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Edwardian & Early 20th century games closely reference leisure trends with many board games based on sport - Steeplechase, Marathon, Golfo, Sinnet - and our dice game for a satisfyingly lazy take on cricket. |
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Current events also feature: 'The Great War Game' of 1910 unnervingly predicts much of what was to come. 'Trencho' of 1917 is a revival of nine men's morris but using trenches and gun emplacements as board markings.(Post war games feature plenty of air races and mountaineering) |
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Games and passtimes of all types became popular on the WWII Homefront especially chunky puzzles to while away dim lit blackout or shelter hours - the wire sort recalling the earlier Baguenaudier |
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Our very favourite wartime boardgame is 'Aerial Attack' - which includes the clipped instruction 'Fireextinguished according to regulations, throw again.' A game so much of its time that even the final pot is rationed: the winner takes two thirds of the pool then the runner up has the rest... |
Games & Activity Workshops
Many of the earlier Medieval, Tudor & Stuart table and board games can be simply re-created on paper or card by folding, using our templates and decorating to suit (then we can also offer suggestions for playing live Morris games on the beach or in the garden!) A simple slot together teetotum spinner to use as a scoring die - alternatively even for predicting the weather or fortune telling - can also be made and decorated. Older children may enjoy having a go at counting and calculating grids.
For Victorian & Edwardian workshops there is the huge additional choice of simple traditional playthings for children to make: an articulated or paper-chain doll, ring and stick game, button whirligig, windmill or marbles bridge. Most popular off all is the spinning thaumatrope: though probably most familiar as the bird in a cage illusion there are endless variations, a selection available to make and decorate using our prepared period illustrations.
20th century games activities can include many of those above but also incorporate the make do and mend/all pull together ethos of both the wartime Homefront or recessionary times: A wind spiral can be cut to deter birds from allotment crops (works in the 21st century garden, too...), waste or brown paper decorations made, fiendish tangram puzzles created and solved.
Logistics:
These workshops are generally conducted indoors - whether at an event venue or school - as windy, cold and wet weather or poor light levels make activities dispiriting or even impossible.
A group of four or five children is the optimum number for enjoyment so first come first served at short timed sessions works best - even if that might create a queue. We quote for agreed numbers of participants for booked activities in order to have sufficient templates, print-outs, paper and materials not to disappoint.
While appropriate historic costume is worn, for safety reasons modern approved materials - card, adhesives, pens, crayons, scissors, etc - are used even for period workshops. Children cannot be left unsupervised but must be accompanied by a parent or guardian throughout the activity session.
