In preparation for a new lease of life, the two slightly neglected boules courts at the Village Hall have recently been receiving a make-over, ready to spring into action again. And judging from the reaction on the village's Facebook page, Bishop Monkton Together, it sounds like they will be very popular.

The courts, or terrains, as they are more formally known, first put in an appearance just after Covid, but didn't seem to capture the interest of villagers in quite the same way as the wide range of other sporting facilities on offer.

The Village Hall Committee had been aware that this facility was not much used and therefore decided the time had come for a refresh. Phil Goodier, Chair of the Committee, said “We felt that making the game more accessible for all was essential to encourage people to play casually”.

So began phase one-a spruce up of the courts, including a smart new surface dressing of gravel, plus the placing of one of the new picnic tables near the courts ready for spectators. All now completed.

The second phase, happening very soon, will be to put a box on site containing a couple of sets of loan boules for the whole community to use. When fully open this will enable two, four or six people to compete together, depending on the type of game being played.

Boules, also often called petanque, is the 10th most popular sport in France and one which many villagers may have watched or played when holidaying in France or Spain. It is a low/zero impact sport and as such all ages can compete against each other. The rules are very straightforward and easy to understand with the game ending when one teams reaches 13 points.

Although many centuries old and known to have been played in both ancient Greece and Rome, petanque, or boules, as we know it today, gained prominence in Provence in the early 1900s. The name comes from “pieds tanqués”, which means “feet anchored / feet firmly grounded” and is derived from the Provencal dialect.

When the courts are open for business this website will let you know. There won't be long to wait.