Hambledon – the cradle of cricket

Hambledon is steeped in cricketing history. Broadhalfpenny Down, 2 miles (3.2km) north-east of the village, has echoed with the sound of leather on willow since 1750, a time when the game was played with a curved bat and two forked sticks as stumps. Although cricket had been played in other parts of England, it was Hambledon Cricket Club that formulated the rules of the modern game and promoted the growth of club cricket.

Successful club

Hambledon became known as ‘the cradle of cricket’ through the successes of the club between 1772 and 1781. They won 23 of 39 matches played against All England teams, and became famous throughout the world. Their greatest victory was in 1777 when they won by an innings and 168 runs in a match played for 1,000 guineas. Matches became memorable affairs, with thousands of spectators travelling miles to witness sporting history.

The Bat and Ball pub, built in 1730, served as a pavilion and clubhouse. Landlord Richard Nyren, a great all-rounder, became club captain, secretary, groundsman and an authority on the rules of the game. When Nyren moved to the George Hotel in the village, the club left Broadhalfpenny Down and continued with equal success on Windmill Down.

The gradual decline of Hambledon Cricket Club coincided with the formation of Marylebone Cricket Club in 1787 and the administration of the game moving to Lord’s, the London cricket ground established by Thomas Lord, who was president of the Hambledon club at the time. When Nyren left Hambledon in 1791 the club broke up and declined until about 1857, when a ground was established at Ridge Meadow near Park Farm.

Walk here on a summer weekend and you are bound to find a match in progress, either at Ridge Meadow or Broadhalfpenny Down. Relax with a drink outside The Bat and Ball and view the classic English scene. Across the road from the inn you’ll find the memorial stone, inscribed with two bats, a ball and stumps, commemorating Hambledon Cricket Club, 1750–87.

From the village hall turn left along the street into the village centre and turn left opposite The Old Post Office towards the parish church. Follow the public footpath to the right, through the churchyard to Church Lane. Take the road opposite, to the right of the primary school, then, where it turns left, keep ahead along the well waymarked public footpath.

Cross a drive and proceed straight on between the fruit bushes of Hambledon Vineyard. Cross a stile ahead of you and turn left onto a track. Keep straight on along the footpath. In 65yds (59m), go through a kissing gate on your right and head towards the right-hand edge of trees opposite.

Pass through a kissing gate and bear right through the trees into a field. Turn left along the field edge and continue across the field, heading towards two aerials on the horizon, to cross a road via a gap in the hedge. You are now in Ridge Meadow, the modern home of Hambledon Cricket Club.

Keep to the right-hand edge of the ground and exit in the corner. Walk along a fence dividing two fields. Cross a field, and continue with woodland on your right. At the end of the woods turn right through the hedge, by a waymarker. Go across a large field in a north easterly direction to a gap by a gate. Join a track ahead leading to Hermitage Farm and follow the drive to the road.

Turn right and walk for 0.5 miles (800m) to where a footpath crosses the road. Turn left and go left around the field edge then turn at waymarker to walk between two fields. Turn sharp right along the edge of the next field and when the field ends take a few steps to the left and follow adjoining field edge on your right to a stile and the road. Turn right to The Bat and Ball, cricket ground (with its memorial stone) and crossroads.

Turn right, then after 250yds (229m), opposite the road to Chidden, cross the stile left. Head uphill across the field to a stile and turn right along a track, waymarked ‘Monarch’s Way’. Follow the track through a small pine plantation and across Broadhalfpenny Down to Scotland Cottage. Where the drive bears right at the end of the lawn, turn left at the fingerpost and immediately right along a tree-lined path. Descend to a track and turn sharp right at a fingerpost.

Go right, then left and after 250yds (229m) turn right along the track to Glidden Farm. Turn left just beyond a pond, cross a stile and go through a gate to bear right at a barn, and keep to the track across fields and two kissing gates. Walk beside telephone poles, through a kissing gate and across a stile and track. Keep alongside the poles to a gate and leave the field. Walk alongside a field and keep left of some fir trees on a grassy track.

Go through the gate to the rear of outbuildings (Stud Farm) onto the access road. With your back to the farm, bear right down a narrow path along a paddock to a road next to Rose Cottage. Turn right and keep left steeply downhill back into Hambledon. Turn left through the village back to the village hall.