Hurling the silver ball

One of the longstanding traditions in St Ives is Feast Day which falls on the first Monday after February 3rd, the anniversary of the consecration of the Parish Church of St., Eia in 1434.

There are a number of events that on throughout the day including this which is the hurling of the Silver Ball. The ball is processed through the town by the mayor in a basket if Ivy leaves then he throws it from the church wall onto the beach below where the children of the town fight for it. Traditionally the town was divided into two teams, Upalong (the people who lived on the hill) and Downalong (the people who lived by the harbour) and they would run through the town showing off who had the ball with the other team then fighting to get it. The winner was the person who presented it back to the mayor outside the Guildhall at mid day. Nowerdays people are less happy to be beaten up so it gets hidden up a jumper and dissapears soon after its thrown.