ARTEFACTS from Huddersfield’s Tolson Museum are to star on the small screen this weekend.

Researchers for BBC’s Countryfile were able to track down vital information about the traditional Yorkshire game of Knurr and Spell from the collections of Kirklees Museums and Galleries, via Tolson Museum’s new website.

The artefects will form part of the BBC 1's Countryfile on Sunday at 7pm.

Knurr and spell used to be a very popular game. The best players competed for large prizes with records of 800 spectators and betting on the outcome.

Tolson's knurr (ball) and spell (spring frame), with pommel (bat), is one of the Top Ten ‘must see’ objects featured on the museum’s website.

Collections Officer Chris Yeates spent a morning filming outdoors near Barnsley, showing presenter Julia Bradbury how Knurr and Spell was played. Then local enthusiasts played the game using equipment they made based on research into the museum’s objects. Chris said:

“It goes to show how such objects, once familiar to many in this part of the country, could easily be considered unimportant and be disposed of and how important museums are for preserving that heritage.”