A great and noble game
Goodwood House was one of the first places where cricket was played regularly, arguably giving Sussex claim to be the birthplace of club cricket. Certainly, matches have been played in front of the house since 1702, and the oldest existing rules for the game were drawn up for a match between the 2nd Duke and a neighbour.
Dear, lovely game of cricket, that can stir us so profoundly, that can lift up our hearts and break them.
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In 1727 in Goodwood Park, a game was played between the 2nd Duke of Richmond and a Mr Brodrick. As was common in those days, there was a wager on the match and rules were drafted. That document - the oldest written set of cricket rules in the world - remains in Goodwood House today. Duplicates can also be found in the Club pavilion and at Lord’s in London.
The Goodwood Cricket Club has a strong link with Lord’s. The 4th Duke was one of the original backers of Thomas Lord when he purchased ‘the rough piece of land’ in St John’s Wood, and the 5th Duke was President of the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC). The Duke was also President/Patron of Sussex County Cricket Club for 25 years.
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Another link with Lord’s could be the club's colours; red and gold. These colours are the racing colours of the Dukes of Richmond, and were first used consistently around 1801. Sometime after their use by the Dukes and their own cricket club, they were also adopted as the colours of the MCC circa 1888.
For much of the club's history the enormous Cedar of Lebanon tree has looked on such players as James Lillywhite, Captain of England (an employee of the Duke) and more recently Sir Colin Cowdrey, Graham Gooch and Nasser Hussain to name but a few. The distinctive tree was grown from seed in 1752 and planted out on the ground in 1756.
There has been one 1st class match at Goodwood. This was played on the 22 - 23 July 1814, between Lord F Beauclerk'sXI and G Osbaldeston's XI. The match was scheduled for three days, but was over in two. A total of 265 runs were scored in 4 innings, 44 wickets taken and G Osbaldeston's XI won by 17 runs.
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The thatched cricket pavilion has remained largely unchanged since it was built in the 1950s. It was not until 1989 that modern comforts such as electricity and a bar were added. Today, the square and pavilion are all maintained by voluntary help. Its unique history and setting make the pavilion a popular venue for weddings.
If you would like to learn more about our fixtures and results then please head on over to Goodwood CC or alternatively the Chichester site for further information.
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If you are interested in booking the pitch for a corporate event then please email
events@goodwood.com
If you would like to become involved in the cricket club itself then please contact
richardanngeffen@gmail.com
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