Broadhalfpenny Down facts for kids
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| Location | Hambledon, Hampshire |
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| Home club | Broadhalfpenny Brigands |
| County club | Hampshire |
| Establishment | 1750 |
Broadhalfpenny Down is a famous historic cricket ground in Hambledon, Hampshire, England. It's often called the "Cradle of Cricket." This is because it was the main home for the Hambledon Club in the 1700s. This club was very important in the early days of cricket.
Even though cricket was played before this ground, Broadhalfpenny Down became a key place for the sport's development. The ground is near the village of Hambledon. It sits on a small hill that is also crossed by the Monarch's Way footpath.
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The Hambledon Club Era
The cricket ground was the home for matches played by the Hambledon Club. They used it from 1753 to 1781. These matches often involved a Hampshire county team. Other sports like horse racing also took place here.
Right next to the ground is the Bat & Ball Inn. This pub is also known as a "cradle of cricket." Its landlord for many years was Richard Nyren, who was the Hambledon captain. Another Hambledon player, William Barber, ran the pub after him.
The name "Broadhalfpenny" sounds like "broad ha'penny." This comes from the old halfpenny coin. In the 1700s, Hambledon was a large area with many small farms. Broadhalfpenny was a common area where people could let their animals graze.
Early Important Matches
The earliest known use of Broadhalfpenny Down for an important match was in August 1753. A Hambledon team played against a team from Surrey. Three years later, the Hambledon team was strong enough to challenge Dartford. Dartford was one of the best teams in England at the time. One of these matches was played at Broadhalfpenny Down on August 18, 1756.
In the 1760s, match reports became more common. We know that Hampshire beat Kent at Broadhalfpenny in 1768. Their amazing batsman, John Small, scored over 140 runs in that match. Scores were getting higher, and matches often lasted two days.
In 1770, a lawyer named John Baker wrote in his diary about a two-day match. It was between Hambledon and the Surrey club Coulsdon. Baker traveled twenty miles from Chichester to watch. He wrote about the very large crowds that came to these matches. Vendors also did good business selling things at the ground.
The First Recorded Centuries
The 1772 cricket season is very important. This is when we start to find many surviving scorecards. Three scorecards exist from 1772 matches organized by the Hambledon Club. These matches began a continuous record of cricket statistics. All three were between a Hampshire team and an England XI. The first was played at Broadhalfpenny on June 24 and 25. Many cricket historians consider this the first "first-class" match ever recorded.
On July 13, 1775, John Small scored 136 runs not out for Hampshire against Surrey at Broadhalfpenny. This is the earliest known century (scoring 100 runs or more) in first-class cricket. In the same match, Richard Nyren scored 98 runs.
There was a famous moment in that match. The Reverend Charles Powlett was a member of the Hambledon Club. He and another member, Philip Dehaney, made a big wager on Surrey to win. At one point, it looked like Surrey would definitely win. But then Small and Nyren played together. They scored many runs and turned the game around. Hampshire won a great victory! When Nyren was out, Powlett and Dehaney complained that they had lost their money. Nyren was annoyed and told them: "Another time, don't bet your money against such men as we are."
Moving to Windmill Down
Broadhalfpenny Down was used regularly by Hambledon and Hampshire teams until 1781. After that season, the Hambledon Club moved to Windmill Down. This new ground was closer to the village. According to John Nyren, Windmill was "one of the finest places for playing on I ever saw."
A key reason for the move was that the club controlled Windmill Down. They rented it from a farmer. Broadhalfpenny, however, was common land. It was used for sheep grazing, fairs, and other gatherings. It was seen as belonging to the whole community. The club members might not have liked the "noisy, lively crowds" that gathered there. The move was suggested by the Duke of Dorset, a main club member. Some historians believe this move was the first step in cricket moving from quiet country areas to busier towns.
Later Years
The ground was not used much for cricket during most of the 1800s. It was even used for farming. Later, people tried to bring cricket back to the ground. In 1908, a special match was played between a Hambledon team and an England XI. This was a commemorative match to remember the ground's history. Famous players like C. B. Fry and Phil Mead played in it.
After the 1908 match, the ground was used for farming again. But Edward Whalley-Tooker, a Hampshire cricketer, worked hard to make sure it would be used for cricket permanently. In 1925, it was restored for matches. The land was given to Winchester College. Winchester College and Hambledon played the first match there after its restoration. Whalley-Tooker led the Hambledon team to victory.
In 2000, historian David Underdown visited the ground. He wrote that it had a monument, a green field with a cricket pavilion, and signs of recent matches. A notice said it was the home of the Broadhalfpenny Buccaneers.
Mr. Underdown was slightly mistaken. The club he saw was the Broadhalfpenny Brigands Cricket Club. This club was formed in 1959 by Royal Navy officers. They have used Broadhalfpenny Down as their home ground ever since.
Today, Hambledon Cricket Club uses Broadhalfpenny Down for some of their matches. The Broadhalfpenny Brigands play friendly matches there on Sundays. The ground is also used by the Hampshire Visually Impaired Cricket Club and young players from the Hampshire County Cricket Club.
Images for kids
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Gerry Northwood fielding in front of Bat and Ball public house
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New Year's Day 2022 Hampshire Huskies v Broadhalfpenny Brigands
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Brigands v Old Woks at Broadhalfpenny Down in Summer 2021
