Artillery Ground

Infobox county cricket ground
ground = Artillery Ground


imagesize =
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location = Finsbury, Middlesex
home club = London Cricket Club
county club =
established = by 1730
last used = 1778 (for first-class cricket)

The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is one of London's most centrally located cricket grounds, situated just off the City Road immediately north of the City of London. It has belonged to the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC) since 1638 [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/ladstolords/1601.html#1636 From Lads to Lord's] ] and is nowadays surrounded by the Company's headquarters and numerous office buildings.

It is best known as a historic cricket venue and the home of the original London Cricket Club. For many years before the creation of the Hambledon Club in the 1760s, the Artillery Ground was the featured venue of all London cricket. It eventually fell into disrepute because of uncontrolled gambling and ceased to be used for major cricket, the last known match taking place in 1778 some years after the London Club had disbanded.

18th century cricket

In the 18th century sources, the Artillery Ground was said to lie "between Chiswell Street and Bunhill Fields", the latter being a cemetery. It was referred to in contemporary reports as the "old" Artillery Ground, but this may be because it was used frequently for other forms of sport or entertainment G B Buckley, "Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket", Cotterell, 1935] .

The earliest definite cricket match at the Artillery Ground took place on 31 August 1730 between London and Surrey. London won but no other details are known H T Waghorn, "Cricket Scores, Notes, etc. (1730-1773)", Blackwood, 1899] .

The ground quickly became London's first choice home venue with five matches recorded there in 1731: three against Dartford and two against Croydon [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/histories/matches.html Classification of cricket matches from 1697 to 1825] ] .

By the 1740s, the Artillery Ground had become the sport's feature venue and for about twenty years it had a social status that only Lord's Cricket Ground has subsequently equalled. Single wicket was especially popular in the 1740s and huge crowds gambling huge sums of money were attracted to the ground whenever these contests took place.

Keepers of the Artillery Ground

The history of the ground is coloured by references to its keepers, or lessees. The first known reference is in "The Craftsman" dated Sat 26 February 1732 (Julian date) re Mr Christopher Jones, Master of the Artillery Ground, at the "Pyed Horse" public house in Chiswell Street G B Buckley, "Fresh Light on Pre-Victorian Cricket", Cotterell, 1937] . The keepers were responsible for maintaining order at the ground. For example, Jones posted a notice in the newspapers that advertised a London v Kent match on 5 July 1733 as "for one guinea each man with wickets to be pitched at one o'clock and the spectators to keep outside the line round the ground. If any persons get on the Walls" (sic), "they will be prosecuted as the Law directs; and the Company are desired to come through the Py'd Horse Yard, Chiswell Street".

Obviously, by coming through the pub, many might well stop and buy a drink. Jones, as the landlord, would have no objection to that.

The most charismatic keeper was George Smith who had frequent disputes with the HAC during his tenure. He also had money problems and there are surviving reports of his attempts to pay off his debts by raising the ground admission and then being forced to reduce it again.

Later history

On 15 September 1784 Vincent Lunardi, flew a balloon from the Artillery Ground, the first such flight in England.

It is perhaps appropriate that the earliest known photograph of a cricket match in progress should have been taken at the Artillery Ground [http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?
] . The photograph was "A Cricket Match Played the 25th July 1857" by Roger Fenton. It pictures action from a match between the Royal Artillery and the Hunsdonbury Cricket Club. It is interesting to compare the rural tranquility of [http://www.scienceandsociety.co.uk/results.asp?
] with the urban surroundings of the modern photograph below.

Today

The area is now used for rugby and football in the winter and cricket in the summer. It is also, as a source of revenue for the HAC, rented out for parties and events. As part of its charitable commitment, the HAC permits local schools to use the Ground for sporting activity, and the grounds remain at the disposal of the HAC Regiment for training purposes.

The Artillery Garden is ringed by a variety of trees planted in 1996 and again in 2000 to celebrate the Millennium. The 7 magnolia grandiflora in front of Armoury House were donated by members of the Royal Family.

ee also

* George Smith (cricketer)

References

External links

* [http://www.jl.sl.btinternet.co.uk/stampsite/cricket/main.html From Lads to Lord's; The History of Cricket: 1300 – 1787]

Bibliography

* Derek Birley, "A Social History of English Cricket", Aurum, 1999
* Rowland Bowen, "Cricket: A History of its Growth and Development", Eyre & Spottiswoode, 1970
* David Underdown, "Start of Play", Allen Lane, 2000