Oldest Clubhouses?
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Forum Name: Clubhouse chat
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Topic: Oldest Clubhouses?
Posted By: Novocastrian
Subject: Oldest Clubhouses?
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 19:45
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Any idea on who may have the oldest clubhouse in the UK? We’re a L7 club and our original part of the clubhouse stretches back to 1928. There’s surely bound to be clubs around the country with older ones but as we only play in the DN leagues, I can’t think of any clubs near us with anything as old as that. Anybody on here know of any older? I’d love to see some photos etc. The link below shows a photo from 1932 and this is largely the same and still in use. https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/novocastrians/photos/355595/7022368.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/novocastrians/photos/355595/7022368.html |
Replies:
Posted By: Runitback
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 21:04
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Waterloo - Blackheath ------------- Run with it |
Posted By: Rabbie Burns
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 21:22
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Blackheath clubhouse at Rectory field dates back a long way and I’m sure it’s grade 2 listed it’s not used for 1st team games atm but things could change ------------- So many Christians not enough Lions |
Posted By: Novocastrian
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 21:54
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Yes I’ve now read up on Blackheath and see their original pavilion was built in 1886. Very impressive! Quite an interesting link here: https://www.charltonparks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Blackheath-Rugby-Club-1851-2001.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://www.charltonparks.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Blackheath-Rugby-Club-1851-2001.pdf Waterloo moved to their new ground in 1921 - so I assume the clubhouse was built around that time too. https://firwoodwaterloorfc.rfu.club/Media/FirwoodWaterlooRFC/Documents/Waterloo%20Rugby%20Club.pdf" rel="nofollow - https://firwoodwaterloorfc.rfu.club/Media/FirwoodWaterlooRFC/Documents/Waterloo%20Rugby%20Club.pdf Anymore? There must be plenty!
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Posted By: 'Hopper
Date Posted: 25 Jun 2020 at 23:21
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Birkenhead Park 1892, and still in use.
------------- What if the Hokey Kokey really IS what it's all about? |
Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 06:14
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Apparently the clubhouse at Paignton dates to 1900. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paignton_Rugby_Football_Club#Ground" rel="nofollow - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paignton_Rugby_Football_Club#Ground ------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Darth Vadar
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 06:20
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Maybe not quite the same, but Liverpool St Helens make the following statement on their website; "Liverpool St Helens traces its origins to 1857 when Liverpool Football Club was formed making it the oldest open rugby club in the World". Just sayin' like !!  (Its early morning and I am bored!)
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Posted By: PiffPaff
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 06:57
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The only old and grand thing at LSH is Ray French. Think the Clubhouse has a slight Nissan Hut feel to it! Caldy might have a 1920/30s Clubhouse. ------------- Crouch, Bind, Tweet! |
Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 08:12
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There's Burton's Peel Croft ground, one of the oldest grounds still in use, but not for long due to their ground move.
------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 08:57
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The Cambridge University Football Clubs jointly bought Grange Rd in 1895 and I think the main building dates from then. The other club moved to Fenners. Fenners was used a a ground long before the Football Club was founded, so it is possible the oldest club house may well be a cricket pavillion. Rugby has been played at the Old Deer Park since 1886 - though initially by Richmond and only recently by London Welsh. But I do not know if any ofthe current facilities date back that far. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 09:10
Which made me do a bit of digging, so from the dark blue side... Iffley Road has been the home of OURFC since the 1890s, but before that it was the home of OUCC (who moved to the Parks in 1881). Christ Church owned it for a decade between the two. However, the (Grade 2 listed) clubhouse at Iffley Road dates from the cricket club. Can't find the date of build but it can't have been the year before they moved out (unless they were daft) and the cricket club arrived in 1876. ------------- keep the faith |
Camquin wrote:Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 09:14
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Incidentally, the oldest sporting clubhouse across sport is going to have to go some to beat the Jockey Club in Newmarket, parts of which go back to its establishment in 1752. ------------- keep the faith |
Posted By: Novocastrian
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 10:20
It looks quite like a cricket pavilion. Beautiful building though. I assume there’s been new extensions etc since then?!
Strange looking clubhouse with a relatively new? Stand on top. But yep, seemingly 1900. I knew there’d be a good one in the South West. Surprised it’s not a Cornish one though!
From 1928. In 1928 the club finally took possession of Paton Field and built a clubhouse with three changing rooms at a cost of £856-10-0. This original clubhouse is still the core of the current clubhouse despite it being built mainly from wood. I’m unsurprised by the University’s. I played as a guest for Magdalene College Cambridge last year and the pavilion at John’s college looked rather old as well. Let alone the actual University rugby team. Keep them doing lads. Some great detective work.
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Posted By: Mark W-J
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 10:49
Rosslyn Park and Old Merchant Taylors took on a groundshare in the 1890s. OMTs moved on but Park stayed until 1956 and London Welsh moved in the following year. We built a new clubhouse that opened in October 1969.
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Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 10:55
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Actually I might have a contender that is older than the Jockey Club and are football based. The Green Man in Ashbourne - the home of the Shrovetide game. Or one of the four inns in Haxley that compete for the Hood. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 11:18
I'm not sure pubs count though? My great grandfather put the ball in twice in Ashbourne so I know it well. Most of the year it's a pub rather than a clubhouse though. ------------- keep the faith |
Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 11:38
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There's a guy on a Facebook rugby page who has been compiling lists of oldest clubs, clubhouses, stands etc. I don't agree with some of his club datings but the clubhouses and stands should have factual dates; the only disagreements revolve around the actual usage - do you count a Pavillion originally used for Cricket in 18xx from that date, or from the date the rugby club moved in x number of years later and extensions/rebuilds/modernisation etc. I would highly recommend the 'Played in' book series for this type of question. Brilliantly researched - led by Simon Inglis, the doyen of sports ground research, they are a treasure trove of information. ------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 11:39
Pubs don't count. End of.... ------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Raider999
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 11:47
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If you are opening it up to all sports Not sure exactly how old it is but North Devon Cricket pavilion is old. Also I suspect there will be a number of very old golf club houses around the country. ------------- RAID ON |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 12:30
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Even though many clubs started in a pub. Shelford started in the PeaHuckleberry. The original pub has long since gone but it is still the club badger and new the name of their main bar. Perhaps pubs should count if the club changes there. The North Devon club house is 450 years old acording to their web site - so that beats the Jockey club. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: billesleyexile
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 12:48
The cricket club? It says late 1700s and originally built as a farmhouse on a different page of their own website so one of them is wrong! http://ndcc.org.uk/club-history/" rel="nofollow - http://ndcc.org.uk/club-history/ The listing notice for same building says probably late 18th/early 19th century. https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1163454" rel="nofollow - https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1163454 Are we counting clubhouses that used to be something else? I only ask, because famously the technically correct answer for "what's the oldest railway station on the network?" would for many years have been Bourne, in Lincs, where a house dating from 1605 was the booking office... ------------- keep the faith |
Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 13:31
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Standeven House at Old Crossleyans, Halifax is an example of a clubhouse with a former use, in this case as a dormitory for the old school.
https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/oldcrossleyansrufc/a/history-of-the-crocs-53644.html" rel="nofollow - https://www.pitchero.com/clubs/oldcrossleyansrufc/a/history-of-the-crocs-53644.html ------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 13:46
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I was looking at the club info page on the same site. As you say they do not seen to keep their story straight. So they are almost certainly the murderer. :-) ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |
Posted By: Robb
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 17:11
Isn't that sort of claim up there with Barnes'?
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Posted By: Richard Lowther
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 17:28
Stuart's not that old.... ------------- Moderator http://www.leaguerugby.co.uk" rel="nofollow - National League Rugby Message Boards Remember Wakefield RFC |
Posted By: Camquin
Date Posted: 26 Jun 2020 at 17:57
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Ba doom tish. ------------- Sweeney Delenda Est |