EXPLORE BRITAIN'S ODD FACE-PULLING TRADITION, WHICH DATES BACK CENTURIES, IT’S CALLED GURNING
In a peculiar part of the UK, pulling faces is a centuries-old competitive activity, even though most of us were taught not to do it as children. Participants compete to create the most ridiculous and humorous faces at the World Gurning Championship, which takes place annually at the Egremont Crab Fair in Cumbria. Having existed for hundreds of years, the strange custom is now a beloved celebration of Britain's wonderfully quirky culture.
The origins of the Egremont Crab Fair can be traced back to 1267, when the local villagers celebrated the Lord of Egremont's gift of crab apples. It has since changed in a variety of strange ways, most notably in the form of gurning, which has developed into a full-fledged competition that now draws competitors from all over the world. The fair also features a ferret exhibition, a pipe smoking competition, and a wheelbarrow race.
According to the fair organisers, the World Gurning Championship is the weekend’s main attraction for many visitors. Historically, to “gurn” means to “snarl like a dog, look savage, distort the countenance.” Contestants have to pull a grotesque face through a horse collar, known as a braffin. They’re judged on how much their face changes, so the more dramatic the transformation, the better their chances of winning.
Though there are some suggestions, the origins of the peculiar tradition are still unknown. According to one story, it began as a lighthearted repartee against the "village idiot." In exchange for a few pints of ale, locals would have him do goofy faces while wearing a horse collar over his head. A farmer who was intoxicated and returned home to an unhappy wife is the subject of another story. She reportedly became even more agitated when he yelled, "Stop gurning, woman!" and threw a horse collar over her head.
Since at least 1852, the World Gurning Championships have been held. And although many ridiculous expressions have been pulled throughout the years, one competitor has surpassed them all. With 19 victories, including his most recent in 2024, Tommy Mattinson is the holder of the Guinness World Record for the most World Gurning Championship championships. When he was a little boy, he chose to follow in his father's footsteps and started gurning after his father won a prize for the odd sport. He won his first gurning competition at the Egremont Crab Fair when he was just 11 years old.
In 2023, Mattinson was also awarded the Gordon Blacklock Memorial Trophy, named after a longtime gurner who passed away in 2020. In an emotional speech, he reflected on their friendship and working together, saying, “Gordon was a great gurner, a great friend, we toured and gurned together—it was amazing.” He added, “I really miss him this year, I always turn around and Gordon’s always there at the back, so it’s been surreal to not have him there.”