Cnapan
Cnapan, which is also called Criapan, is the Welsh term for Celtic Medieval Football. Cnapan was part of the codified football games first developed by Public Schools which led to the development of Association Football and Rugby Football.
Cnapan was popular until Rugby Union Football was developed. This game was played with large numbers of people; these people are usually from two parishes. A solid wooden ball is used; it is slightly larger than a cricket ball. Usually, the day before the game, the ball was boiled for around 12 hours in oil, animal fat, or other types of lubricant. This is done so that the ball is more difficult to catch.
The aim of the game is to take the wooden ball to the church by all means. Sometimes Cnapan games were played on Traeth Mawr (Big Beach), this is at the mouth of the Nevern River, the “Newport End” and the “Never end” of the beach serves as the goals.
Related Pages
- This sport is similar to Cornish Hurling
- More about Medieval Football
- About Extinct and Ancient Sports
- List of Extinct Sports
- Football Decoder — what is called football around the world?
- List of unusual sports
- Complete list of sports
- About sport in Wales
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