| Where: | Denholm, Borders around the Green |
| When: | Monday after Jedburgh Ba' (usually) |
| Time: | 4pm or a little later... |
Denholm is a traditional borders handball game with its origins in a match using an invading Sassenach’s head as a ball (or so the legend goes!). Written records date back a couple of hundred years. Most of the action takes place on the large Green in the village centre with goals along the A698 to the East for the Doonies and Honeyburn Bridge to the West for the Uppies. Teams are usually of ten to twenty players, often including participants from neighbouring settlements with their own similar traditions like Hobkirk and Jedburgh. Play usually continues after dark until around 7.30 and in spite of the generous space in the village centre, players always end up stopping the traffic for a while in the street!
Helpful Hints
The dating of the game is directly connected to the similar event Jedburgh Hand Ba (see separate article) with the Denholm game normally taking place on the Monday following the Jedburgh game.
Pubs in the village will be open for food & drink and the Post Office sells snacks.
In 2026 it should be on Monday 2nd March (which is a week later than usual in relation to Jedburgh).
Click here for the village Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/denholmvillage
and website: https://www.denholmvillage.co.uk
The 2016 Denholm Hand Ba’ is on Monday 15th February!
Hi Jane,
Thanks, you’re quite right – Monday 13th Feb 2016 doesn’t exist ( I must have moved date in the wrong direction when I adjusted the article after last year’s game!)
Best wishes,
Averil