Windmill Down facts for kids

Windmill Down is a special place near the town of Hambledon in Hampshire, England. For a short time, from 1782 to 1795, it was a very important place for the sport of cricket. It was the home ground for the famous Hambledon Club.

Windmill Down: A Historic Cricket Ground

Before moving to Windmill Down, the Hambledon Club played at another ground called Broadhalfpenny Down. They used Broadhalfpenny Down from at least 1753 until 1781. The club decided to leave Broadhalfpenny because it was "too remote," meaning it was too far away.

Why Hambledon Moved Grounds

Broadhalfpenny Down was about two miles from the village of Hambledon. Windmill Down, on the other hand, was right next to the village. This made it much easier for players and fans to get there. However, Broadhalfpenny Down had a famous pub called the Bat and Ball Inn right across the road, which Windmill Down did not.

First Matches at Windmill Down

The first time Windmill Down was mentioned as a cricket ground was on Tuesday, June 18, 1782. The Hampshire Chronicle newspaper called it "a field called the New Broad Halfpenny adjoining to the Town of Hambledon." It's likely that the first cricket match was played there about a week later, but we don't have full proof.

We do know for sure that the first important match, called a first-class cricket match, happened in August 1782. In this game, the Hampshire team played against the All-England team. All-England won that match by 147 runs.

The End of an Era

Windmill Down was used regularly for Hampshire's home matches for several years. However, its time as a cricket ground came to an end in July 1795. That's when the last recorded match took place there. After that, it was no longer used for big cricket games.