Badminton is a racket sport whose exact origins are still a tantalising mystery. It evolved from the older games of battledore and shuttlecock, which were popular pastimes in Europe—particularly among the more affluent classes. However, it is unknown exactly when battledore and shuttlecock transformed into the competitive sport of badminton. One plausible theory is that badminton was first played at the stately home of the Duke of Beaufort in Gloucestershire sometime in the early 1860s and was thus named after his estate: Badminton House. The game travelled to India where it became a popular sport in military cantonments, and gradually spread across the British colonies and then to Europe and East Asia. Today, badminton is a global sport with widespread appeal among people of all ages and abilities.
