In Photos: Cooper’s Hill cheese roll

The first written record of cheese rolling at Cooper’s Hill in Gloucestershire, England, is from 1862. It is thought that at the time the document – a note to Gloucester’s town crier – was written, the tradition had already been taking place for hundreds of years. There are competing origin stories for the practice, which involves the throwing of a nine pound wheel of cheese down the 200 yard long hill, which is chased after by competitors aiming to catch it.

The practice, which attracts huge crowds to the otherwise sleepy Cotswold hills every spring bank holiday, is believed to have begun as a way of maintaining grazing rights over the land. Other theories point to Pagan origins, where burning bundles of brushwood were rolled down hills to celebrate the end of winter and the coming of the new year. 

Either way, the event is now world famous, attracting visitors from as far away as Australia to take part. There are four races throughout the day, where people race one another to claim the Double Gloucester cheese – made locally – and the crown. As one might expect, many of those throwing themselves down a sheer, uneven cliff at speed find themselves injured. Last year, Canadian Delaney Irving won the ladies race despite finishing unconscious. She found out about her victory in the medical tent.

This year’s event was no different, with around 5,000 gathering to chant ​“cheese, cheese, cheese” as contenders once again flung themselves down the hill. Huck photographer Theo McInnes was there to capture all the action.

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