World Conker Championships, Southwick - Jason Bye Conkerers of the world can rejoice this autumn – as the World Conker Championships were granted a royal pardon. There were fears that the annual competition, which has been running since 1965 and held this year at The Shuckburgh Arms in Southwick, Northamptonshire, might have to be cancelled, after an unusually hot and dry summer led to a shortage of useable conkers.