Artillery Ground
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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 belongs to the Honourable Artillery Company and is hemmed in by the Company's headquarters and numerous office buildings.
The earliest definite cricket match at the Artillery Ground took place on 31 August 1730 between teams styled London and Surrey. London won but no other details are known (source: H T Waghorn - Cricket Scores 1730 – 1773).
On 15 September 1784 Vincent Lunardi, flew a balloon from the Artillery Ground, the first such flight in England.
In the 18th century sources, particularly those recorded by G B Buckley, 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. It was generally used for matches involving the original London Club and also became the featured venue of all London cricket until about 1765, after which the focus shifted to Hambledon and the London Club disbanded.
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 now 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.
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[edit] External links
[edit] References
- Cricket Scores 1730 - 1773 by H T Waghorn (WCS)
- Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket by G B Buckley (FL18)
- The Dawn of Cricket by H T Waghorn (WDC)
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