British and World Marbles Championship

What to expect

The championship is held at the Greyhound pub in Tinsley Green, on the edge of Crawley. Teams of six play ring taw: 49 small target marbles sit in the middle of a raised, sand-covered concrete ring about six feet across, and players take turns flicking a larger shooter, the 'tolley', to knock them out. The first team to clear 25 marbles wins. Fouls are strictly policed, from 'fudging' to 'cabbaging', and a player who fouls three times is out. There are team and individual titles, plus awards for the best lady and the 'Golden Oldie'. In 2026 Turners Hill Tollymen won their first ever team title.

The story behind it

Local legend says that in 1588 two suitors, Giles and Hodge, competed for the hand of a milkmaid named Joan, and marbles became the deciding game. The modern championship dates from 1932, when county competitions combined into the British championships, and it took the 'British and World' name in 1938. It has paused only for the Second World War and for 2020 and 2021. Today it is run by the British Marbles Board of Control, and German teams in particular have become fierce rivals.

Getting there and home

Tinsley Green sits just south of Gatwick Airport. Three Bridges station is about a mile and a half away, and Gatwick Airport station is also close, both with frequent trains from London and Brighton, though Good Friday timetables can differ. A taxi or a walk will get you to the pub. Parking at the pub is limited because the ring takes up space, so public transport is a good choice. Crawley has plenty of hotels, many of them airport hotels.

Watching, taking part and tips

Spectators can gather around the rings to watch the action up close, but keep clear of the playing area and avoid touching any marbles. Team entries are arranged in advance, so most visitors come to watch. It is a relaxed, friendly day that suits families, and the pub provides food and drink. Bring layers, as Easter weather can be chilly, and arrive in the morning to see the early rounds.

Where to watch

The central ring is only part of the picture. Yorkshire Meds, one of the competing teams, describes a main ring in the car park and four more in the side garden, and some side rings have been used for other competitions or informal practice. That’s why not everyone is watching the same game, so ask which match is on before you decide a quiet corner has been abandoned. The layout can change, so follow the officials’ directions on the day.

For a quick lesson in tactics, watch what happens to the shooter’s tolley after it strikes a target. Under the published rules, a tolley that stays on the ring after scoring earns another shot, while one left there without a score can become a target itself. Position matters as much as power. Captains settle who gets the choice of playing first with a nose-drop, another small ritual worth catching before the first serious shot.

Keep the referee’s view clear and your belongings away from the ring’s edge. A dangling camera strap or coat sleeve matters rather more here than at the far side of a football pitch. Save your detailed questions for a pause between games.

Eating and drinking

The Greyhound describes itself as a family pub and contemporary Indian restaurant, with dine-in and takeaway food. If a sit-down meal matters to your party, ask the pub about championship-day service and reservations, as its usual menu and opening hours aren’t an event timetable. A table booking is just that: it won’t register a team or reserve you a ringside spot. Raise any dietary requirements when you book.

Yorkshire Meds’ account of a typical tournament shows the day can unfold slowly through knockout rounds, finishing at different times depending on entries and weather. So keep your food plans flexible and don’t go by a previous year’s finishing time. A proper meal might fit neatly into a break in your visit, but it could also mean missing a match you were keen to see.

If children want marbles to take home, Crawley Museum’s shop sells a range, plus drawstring bags, as a separate purchase. Its safety warning says the small balls aren’t suitable for children under 36 months. Keep souvenirs packed away as you wander round the competition, and well away from the playing area.

Make a day of it nearby

Crawley Museum adds a little depth to the town around the tournament. Its collections run from prehistoric finds through the medieval settlement and Victorian town to the twentieth-century New Town, and permanent displays include a Bronze Age sword and a 1903 Rex Forecar. It’s a good indoor pick for anyone in your party who fancies some local history between bouts of marbles enthusiasm. Holiday opening may differ from a normal Friday, so check before you go.

Ifield Watermill, also run by Crawley Museums, is a separate destination. The restored mill has a working waterwheel and displays on its history and restoration, and the museum explains that it still runs on water from the original millpond. Check visits and demonstrations against the mill’s own programme; the town museum being open doesn’t mean the watermill is too.

Treat either as a proper excursion, not a quick break you can take while keeping your place by the championship ring. If the tournament is your priority, save the local exploring for another day of the Easter weekend and give the competition afternoon to whichever teams catch your eye.

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.

• Wikipedia: British and World Marbles Championship ↗
• Atlas Obscura: the championship in a pub car park ↗
• Yorkshire Meds: championship venue ↗
• Yorkshire Meds: published championship rules ↗
• Yorkshire Meds: typical tournament proceedings ↗
• The Greyhound: official pub and restaurant ↗
• Crawley Museums: museum and Ifield Watermill ↗
• Crawley Museum: marbles and safety warning ↗