Posts Tagged ‘animal baiting

16
Aug
11

The Beargarden – Prelude

TUDsportsIn the late 16th and 17th centuries in London a place was rumoured to exist which the locals referred to as the Beargarden.

A round or polygonal open structure, comparable to the public theatres that appeared in London at the time, the Beargarden was a place where animals were frequently “baited” or made to fight one another while the people watching betted on which ones would win.

It was barbaric. Apes, horses, bulls, bears and on the rare occasion, lions were thrown into the ring together, whipped into a blind, murderous rage and made to tear one another limb from limb.

An early account, from the Duke of Najera reads as follows:

"…a pony with an ape fastened on its back, and to see the animal kicking among the dogs, with the screams of the ape, beholding the curs hanging from the ears and neck of the pony, is very laughable."

This October, the Beargarden reopens.

Only this time, we won’t be baiting animals.

Unless you count the Tiger Winking smile 

 

 

There will be more, but until then I can promise you one thing, what you’re going to see won’t be pretty.

-ST