Two wacky Gloucestershire events could be added to UK heritage list

Communities spanning the UK will soon be able to nominate their favourite traditions to feature within official inventories of our living heritage, here in the UK — with plenty of wacky options to choose from in Gloucestershire. 

These nominations will be accepted under seven categories: oral expressions, such as poetry and storytelling; performing arts; social practices, such as festivals and customs; nature, land and spirituality; crafts; sports and games; and culinary practices. 

A fan favourite expected to feature is the world-famous phenomenon, Gloucestershire's annual Cheese Rolling event, which attracts thousands of spectators and brave competitors from all over the world to Cooper's Hill in Brockworth, who are determined to keep this wacky tradition alive.

A race like no other, participants throw themselves down Cooper's Hill after a wheel of Double Gloucester cheese.

And dating back to the early 1600s, celebrating its 413th anniversary in 2025, Rober Dover's annual Cotswold Olimpick Games is another of the county's most fascinatingly weird sporting trials which could land itself on the protected list, offering a whole bunch of country fun.

Taking place within the natural amphitheatre of Chipping Campden’s Dover’s Hill, participants can get drenched in the Championship of the Hill race or join a team to pit their strength against each other in the Tug O’War competition, along with plenty of other competitive events.

Perhaps most notably, the day culminates with the iconic shin-kicking event, inducing plenty of winces from spectators and competitors...

And with Gloucestershire packed with quirky traditions, surfing the Severn Bore or Tetbury Woolsack Races are also among those eligible for the list. 

Heritage minister Baroness Twycross, said: 'The UK is rich with wonderful traditions, from Gloucestershire’s cheese rolling to folk music and dancing and the many heritage crafts that we practice, such as tartan weaving and carving Welsh love spoons.  

'I would encourage everyone to think about what traditions they value so that we can continue to celebrate them, tell our national story to the rest of the world and safeguard the traditions that make us who we are.'

This follows the UK consenting to the 2003 UNESCO Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage last year, which requires each member state to compile their own inventory of living heritage practiced by communities in their country.

Further information about how to nominate traditions and crafts will be available when the government's call for submissions opens later this year.