Bragg Photos

I started 2026 the way I mean to go on – by attending a traditional English event on 6th January, a significant date in the festival calendar that marks the traditional ending of the twelve days of Christmas. The event was the Haxey Hood, which is quite a long way from home for me, in Lincolnshire, which I did in a one day epic drive.

Fortunately, the timings worked out well, and the event’s traditional festivities started at about 2pm and the game itself kicked off about 330pm.

The festivities started with a group of local dignitaries, distinguishable by their red clothing and fancy dress, making a tour of the various pubs involved in the game (which I’ll attempt to explain more about in a moment). They then spontaneously sung traditional songs (which the locals knew every word to, and I had never heard before in my life). Following this was the ‘burning’ of the Fool, which involved the Fool character making a speech, and being ritually ‘burned’ with a fire beneath him.

After this, came the game itself. It took me by surprise just how much of the game took place in darkness, and so I was limited with my photography opportunities, but I enjoyed it as a spectator very much nonetheless. On more than one occasion I was exhorted by locals to join in, which I politely declined! (being rather attached to keeping my camera in one piece, as well as my bones!)

The game involved a scrum between the two opposing villages (Haxey and Westwoodside), who made attempts to push the ‘ball’ (more of a stick really) towards their own pubs in their respective villages. It is not unknown apparently for this scrum to push through anything that stands in their way, whether that be cars or fences, but on this occasion the scrum seemed very respectful of local property!

After many hours in the dark the game was won by Westwoodside!

I hope you enjoy a selection of some of my pictures from the event: