Welcome to The Historic Games Shop
Historic board games played by Romans, Anglo-Saxons, Vikings and Normans; by Medieval people, Tudors and Elizabethans; during the English Civil War and the Napoleonic Wars; and all points between.
Also reproduction historic playing cards, dice and dice games, and a range of accessories, including our own historic games rule books.
To help you find out about the games played during different periods of history we’ve made six short videos which you can find links to in the relevant sections of our shop. We’re planning more videos in future, detailing topics such as the evolution of board games over time, historic dice and card games, the evolution of chess, and the historic sources for the games you can find on our website. We’ll be uploading all our videos to our own YouTube channel, which you might like to subscribe to. We've recently uploaded two new YouTube videos, one discussing the evolution of tables games from the Roman period to the eighteenth century, and our latest, which deals with chess sets of the tenth to seventeenth centuries.
Our main range of historic board games comprise quartersawn oak boards with hardwood or ceramic playing pieces, all made in our own workshop. Many of these are reproductions of historically-documented or archaeological finds of games (including early chess sets) suitable for museum display, historical interpretation, or for reenactment. Game boards can be painted (as historic illustrations show many were) or be of unpainted oak; and carved or turned hardwood playing pieces can be plain, stained, or painted. We also make and supply games as props to film, theatre and TV companies. We try to have a wide range of games available in our online shop, but often make only one or two of each at a time, so if you find that what you’re looking for is out of stock please get in touch to find out how soon we can make you one. Commissions are also welcomed!
A selection of our best-selling historic board games are available with linen boards, handily-packed in sturdy cardboard tubes, with full instructions for play and brief notes on the history of the game. They make a great introduction to the world of historic games. These are also available wholesale, and are popular with shops in historic properties and museums.
In our shop you'll also find our own Play with History! range of abstract strategy games inspired by history, and - if you fancy something completely different - our Faeries Games fantastical board and dice games, all featuring trolls, pixies, goblins, faeries and, of course, cheese...
In April 2020 we set up The Historic Games Club as a response to the coronavirus lockdown, and we're continuing to maintain it as a virtual library of free historic games. A great way to learn more and try out a few of the games!
