Two groups of Explorer Scouts from Haslemere had a fun evening at the real tennis court at Petworth House.

The house has been a home for real tennis at least since 1588.

Some historians have suggested that Henry VIII – himself a great tennis fanatic – may have built courts at Petworth even earlier.

The effort is part of a cooperation between Petworth House Tennis Court (PHTC) and local Scouts groups. PHTC’s aim is to give more youngsters an experience of real tennis, while the Scouts seek to give broad experiences to its young people.

The two groups of Scouts received coaching from PHTC club professionals. The Dedanists’ Foundation contributed half the cost of coaching for the Scouts, with the other half from PHTC.