During the early modern era, pupils, former pupils and teachers at English public schools developed the rules of football, eventually leading to the first written codes of football most notably the Eton College (1815) and Aldenham school (1825) football rules, and rugby football (1845). British public schools football also directly influenced the rules of association football.
Winchester College football
Videos
Winchester College football, also known as Winkies, is a code of football played at Winchester College. Its rules make it somewhat resemble rugby football but with a round football and little handling of the ball. It was once played in South Africa, but is now restricted to the community directly connected to Winchester College. The game's season is January–March, the second term of the academic year. It developed from an unstructured street game of the 17th century into a standardised sport by the early 19th century. This was first played on the top of St. Catherine's Hill with a line of junior boys down each side to keep the ball from rolling away. The game was moved to the College's playing fields, and the lines of boys were replaced with netting.
A match between Commoners (red stripe) and Old Tutor's Houses (brown stripe) begins with a hot (scrum) on the halfway line. Supporters watch from behind ropes (rope with blue posts) and a safety net.
The Old Tutor's Houses team takes a kick from their goal line, Worms.
Flint Court on Winkies Day: the classroom buildings are decked out with Commoners and OTH zephyrs.
Illustration of Winchester football by Richard Baigent, 1838, showing lines of "kickers-in" on both sides of the pitch. St. Catherine's Hill, where the game was once played, is in the background.