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   For the type of poem, see Cinquain, for the band, see Quintaine Americana

Quintain at the Golden Gate Renaissance Festival 2005.

Quintain (O. Fr. quintaine, from Lat. quintana, a street between the fifth and sixth maniples of a camp, where warlike exercises took place), was a war game (or hastilude) during the Middle Ages which involved striking a wooden target with a weapon, on foot or horseback. The term was also used for the instrument (or target) itself, and could be used to practice for the joust.

Originally perhaps the mere trunk of a tree upon which the knight practised his swordstrokes, as may be seen in an ancient illustration, a post-quintain was generally about 6 feet high.

As late as the 18th century running at the quintain survived in English rural districts. In one variation of the pastime the quintain was a tun filled with water, which, if the blow was a poor one, was emptied over the striker. A later form was a post with a cross-piece, from which was suspended a ring, which the horseman endeavoured to pierce with his lance while at full speed. This sport, called tilting at the ring, was very popular in England and on the continent of Europe in the 17th century and is still practised as a feature of military and equestrian sport.

A Quintain survives on the Green in the village of Offham, Kent (GR) Origins of the Offham Quintain The village lies in a rural setting below the North Downs between Maidstone and Sevenoaks near to West Malling. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offham,_Kent

The best known historic feature of Offham village is the Quintain, situated on the Green.

Writing in 1782 in his ‘History of Kent’ Hasted says

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edward_Hasted

“On Offham green there stands a Quntin, a thing now rarely to be met with, being a machine much used in former times by youth, as well to try their own activity as the swiftness of their horses in running at it. The cross piece of it is broad at one end, and pierced full of holes; and a bag of sand is hung at the other and swings round, on being moved with any blow. The pastime was for the youth on horseback to run at it as fast as possible, and hit the broad part in his career with much force. He that by chance hit it not at all, was treated with loud peals of derision; and he who did hit it, made the best use of his swiftness, least he should have a sound blow on his neck from the bag of sand, which instantly swang round from the other end of the quintain. The great design of this sport was, to try the agility both of horse and man, and to break the board, which whoever did, he was accounted chief of the day’s sport.

When Q Elizabeth was at the Earl of Leicester’s, at Kenelworth Castle, among other sports for her entertainment, the running at the quintain was exhibited in the castle-yard by the country lads and lassies assembled on that day, to celebrate a rural wedding.’

During the Second World War the quintain was removed for safety to Quintain House, as it could have assisted an invading army as a landmark. It was restored to its present place on the Green with much ceremony in the presence of Lord Cornwallis, Lord Lieutenant of Kent on 11th August 1945. A replica quintain was used in the 1980s for tilting on horseback during the annual May Day celebrations, but this has been curtailed due to safety concerns. Responsibility for upkeep and maintenance of the Quintain now rests with the Parish Council.

[edit] References

   * This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica, Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

Hasted, Edward(1732–1812) "The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent (1788–99)"

[edit] See also

   * Jousting
   * Tent pegging
   * Giostra della Quintana
   * Official Giostra della Quintana website (select the language)

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