Tudor Sports and Pastimes
19th January 2026 by | UncategorizedFalconry to be Hoodwinked
Did you know that the term ‘to be hoodwinked’ comes from falconry in Tudor England?
In Tudor times, hawks and falcons were fitted with a leather hood, known as a hoodwink, placed gently over the bird’s eyes. This calmed the falcon, prevented distraction, and made it easier to control until the moment of release.
To be hoodwinked therefore meant to have one’s sight deliberately obscured — to be kept unaware of what was really happening.
Over time, the word passed into everyday language, coming to mean being misled or deceived.
A small piece of Tudor life that still shapes how we speak today.
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