Bowls, the sport of Kings not peasants!

The bowls oldest site that is ‘still played on’ is in Southampton, where records show the game has
been played since 1299. 
Bowls became the sport of kings not for the ordinary folk! Playing in their homes using homemade
alleys and openly only on Christmas day!

1366 King Edward the third (1327-1377) banned bowling. Taking up too much time way from work
and skills of war, especially the enforced Sunday archery practice.
King Henry VI (1421-1471) later reversed the ban of bowling in 1455 and bowls flourished, especially
in the upper classes.
1511 King Henry the eighth (1491-1547) legislated to fine common people from bowling the sum of
six shillings and eight pence (other than Christmas day). Henry loved archery and bowls, in fact he
was a unique and talented all-round sportsman! (before he over indulged)
However, he introduced a bowling licence to ensure only the rich can play, that required to have
property of over £100. This law lasted for over two hundred years.
1555 Queen Mary the first (1516-1558) even outlawed the Christmas games of bowls.
Charles I (1600-1649) was also bowls crazy. He lost a cool thousand pounds at Barking Hall green!
In 1681, King James I (1566-1625) Declaration of Sport, took a rather stern stance on the game
of lawn bowls. He banned the sport on a Sunday, the reason behind this prohibition was to maintain
the game’s elite status, ensuring it remained exclusive and not accessible to the common man.
Oliver Cromwell (1599-1658) and the Puritans stopped all enjoyment and ended bowls.
Charles II (1630-1685) the new king reinstated king after the Cromwell’s installed a green at Windsor
Castle in the 1670’s at a cost of £20-7-11d on the east terrace and is credited with drawing up the
first set of rules for bowls.
It was not until 1845 under Queen Victoria (1837-1901), 2 centuries later that these laws would be
‘rescinded!’
Why the Bias on bowls was introduced!
One of the Duke of Suffolk woods cracked and fell into two halves. A sudden brainwave sent
Brandon scurrying indoors to the grand hall where the banister of the impressive staircase
terminated in a spherical knob. The protuberance was quickly sawn off and the game continued as
though nothing had happened. The duke, however, soon found that the flattened part of the globe
(where it had been attached to the banister) caused the improvised bowl to run in a curve – a useful
device which enabled him to gain access to the jack even when it was hidden behind a forest of short
woods. Bias had been invented.
For years bias was imparted by means of weights (brass or pewter) inserted into the bowl, but now
(wood or plastic) it’s the shape of bowl which makes it bend – a quirky quality which prompted
Shakespeare to pen this royal exchange in Richard II:
Queen: What sport shall we devise here in this garden to drive away the heavy thought of case?
Lady: Madam, we’ll play at bowls
Queen: ‘Twill make me think the world is full of rubs, and that my fortune runs against the bias.