Atlas Obscura has a post about Nicholas Wood, known as “The Great Eater of Kent”, titled “Competitive Eating Was Even More Disgusting in the 17th Century”

Taylor’s plan would have had Wood perform daily feats of overeating at the city’s Bear Gardens, which at the time hosted animal fights. Among the suggested meals to give the “most exorbitant paunchmonger” were a wheelbarrow full of tripe, as many puddings as would stretch across the Thames, and an entire fat calf or sheep.

For better or worse, this gluttony exhibition never came to pass, as Wood, who was getting on in his years, and who had lost all but one of his teeth after eating an entire mutton shoulder, bones and all, declined Taylor’s offer, saying that he wasn’t sure he’d be able to perform to expectations.

More on Nicholas Wood: Alpha History | Kent History Forum

The new poll asks who you think is currently the top eater in the UK.

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Citizens of Hope & Glory,
Time goes by – it’s “the time of your life”.
Easy now, sit you down.
Chewing through your Wimpey^[*] dreams,
They eat without a sound;
Digesting england by the pound.

Young man says “you are what you eat” – eat well.
Old man says “you are what you wear” – wear well.
You know what you are, you don’t give a damn;
Bursting your belt that is your homemade sham.

Genesis, “Dancing with the Moonlit Knight” (1973) (That is Phil Collins on drums)

The English eating challenges (currently totaling 309) and contests in the database have been parceled out into 34 regions which are listed after the jump (all-England list of eating challenges and contests)
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