The Journey or Cross Roads to Conqueror's Castle thumbnail 1
The Journey or Cross Roads to Conqueror's Castle thumbnail 2
Not on display

The Journey or Cross Roads to Conqueror's Castle

Board Game
1837-1846 (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This game is in the form of a landscape with rivers, roads and houses. Players must start from the centre of the bottom margin and using the teetotum move along the roads in the direction determined by the spin. The teetotum is marked L F R B, for left, forward, right and back. A spin occurs at each cross roads and the first spin must be left, right or forward. Various rewards and forfeits are given along the roads and must be complied with. The roads have humorous names and are populated with little groups. The winner is the player who reaches the Conqueror's Castle first.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleThe Journey or Cross Roads to Conqueror's Castle (manufacturer's title)
Materials and techniques
Hand coloured paper on linen
Brief description
Hand coloured game, The Journey, published in England by William Spooner between 1837 and 1846
Physical description
Design: lithograph, coloured by hand; 12 sections mounted on linen; showing a castle with roads leading to it.
No. of squares: ?
Squares illustrated: all
Square numbering: none
Squares titled: none
Subject of starting square: cross roads at centre bottom
Subject of ending square: castle at centre top
Dimensions
  • Height: 22.25in
  • Width: 16.75in
Object history
It is played in a similar way to The Cottage of Content, E. 1785-1954.
William Spooner was at the address between 1837 and 1846. The original imprint would be prior to 1836 and this is a later impression.

Sheet marked Entered at Stationers' Hall
Historical context
Rewards: receipt of counters and forward movement; given on the playing sheet as the marker is moved
Forfeits: payment of counters and backward movement; given on the playing sheet as the marker is moved.
No. of Players: any
Equipment required: teetotum marked L F R B (left, forward, right back); marker for each player; counters to a decided value with a given number for a central kitty or pool

Rules:
The game is in the form of a landscape with rivers, roads and houses. the players must start from the centre of the bottom margin and using the teetotum move along roads in the direction determined by the spin. A spin occurs at each cross roads and the first spin must be left, right or forward. Various rewards and forfeits are given along the roads and must be complied with. The winner is the player who reaches the Conqueror's Castle first.

Like the Cottage of Content, the roads have humorous names and little groups of people. For Example:

In Great Coat Lane, a beggar stands by a ditch and the penalty being `Pay 1 for help over the Ditch'.
In Hobble Heath a family is bogged down and must `Pay 2 for Washing'.
In Tight Fit Lane, a fat man is attempting to get through a turnstile, and is asked to `Pay 1 for Assistance'.
Before attempting to pass along Mad Bull Lane, the player is told to `Take 2 from the pool to raise Courage'.
Passing the Inn at Fillpot Lane, the player has to `Take 2 to Refresh'.

The playing sheet folds into cloth covered boards bearing a pictorial label which also shows characters and buildings from the sheet itself.



Rules placement: on the game as it is played
Summary
This game is in the form of a landscape with rivers, roads and houses. Players must start from the centre of the bottom margin and using the teetotum move along the roads in the direction determined by the spin. The teetotum is marked L F R B, for left, forward, right and back. A spin occurs at each cross roads and the first spin must be left, right or forward. Various rewards and forfeits are given along the roads and must be complied with. The roads have humorous names and are populated with little groups. The winner is the player who reaches the Conqueror's Castle first.
Collection
Accession number
E.1779-1954

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Record createdMarch 4, 2000
Record URL
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