Pall mall ball and mallets
Title
Pall mall ball and mallets
Description
These mallets and ball were used to play a game called pall mall, which involved hitting the ball down a green playing field and through an iron hoop. The game was popular in England in the late 1600s and continued to be played into the early 1800s. This set is probably from the mid to late 1700s. The playing fields for the game were called Malls; the term came to be used for all long, open grassy areas where people walked or played.
Source
The British Museum, Online Collection. View original.
Coverage
Appearance
The ball is made of boxwood. The mallets are made of wooden hammers bound on each end by an iron ring. The long, thin handles of the mallets are wrapped with leather.
Size
The ball is 5.3 centimeters (2 inches) in diameter and weighs 160.05 grams (roughly a third of a pound). The mallets are 110.5 centimeters (43.5 inches) long.