The inaugural Great Polden Hills Mangelwurzel Day took place on 20th September 2026 at Edington village hall in Somerset. Organised by an enthusiastic team of volunteers, it was very well attended. People came from far and wide, and there was even an overflow car park.
Mangolds Galore!
The main event of the day was the mangelwurzel growing competition, in preparation for which villagers from around the Polden Hills had been growing mangolds all year. There were numerous entry categories, including heaviest, biggest girth, gnarliest, most vibrant colour, and most valiant effort. There was even a category for mangolds that looked most like Donald Trump, whoever he is.
Here we see just a tiny fraction of the mangelwurzels on display inside the Village Hall. These ones are big and gnarly, so while impressive in their own right they are too heavy and lacking the aerodynamic qualities required for hurling.
The lady in the picture has nothing to do with the mangolds, she’s just enjoying a refreshment. Probably traditional Somerset cider or something.
Mangold Hurling for the Modern Age
The day also included an opportunity for visitors to try their hand at mangold hurling. Instead of actual mangolds, beautifully-crafted beanbag mangolds were provided. This was mainly to prevent anybody in the crowd having their head smashed in by a stray projectile, but it also meant that small children could have a go too. Incidentally, this is the first recorded instance of a risk assessment in the history of mangold hurling.
A fairly authentic pitching basket was provided, but because the villagers were reluctant to have the tops cut off their prized mangolds, a substitute celeriac was used as the Norman. This is not compliant with MHA rules, but at least it wasn’t a brassica such as a turnip. Turnips are deprecated.
If you unmute the video you can hear the live music coming from the stripy tent.
Morris Dancing Too!
The day also featured morris dancing in the car park (not the overflow car park). We think they were the Glastonbury Border Morris, but it’s hard to tell from the picture because they are disguised as dead deer. They were very good though.
