Bourne Paddock

Bourne Paddock was a cricket ground at Bourne Park House, the seat of Sir Horatio Mann, at Bishopsbourne around 4 miles (6.4 km) south-east of Canterbury in the English county of Kent. It was a venue for first-class cricket matches from 1766 to 1790.

Bourne Park House with the site of the cricket field, including the pavilion and the iron roller, to the left of the image

The ground was within the grounds of Bourne Park House. Archaeological surveys have shown that it was built on an area which was settled during the Iron Age and Roman periods.[1][2] A modern cricket pavilion and a large iron roller used to roll the cricket pitch remain at the site, but the ground is no longer in use.[3]

Matches

Bourne Paddock is first mentioned in an item in the Kentish Weekly Post about a recent match involving Mann's own Bourne Cricket Club versus Dartford Cricket Club on 29 September 1766. The result of the game is unknown.[4] Bourne Cricket Club effectively represented Kent during the late 18th century and attracted large crowds to the ground.[1] A total of 17 matches played on the ground were given retrospective first-class cricket status by some sources.[5]

Its last known use was for a top-class game involving Sir Horatio Mann's XI versus Mr Stephen Amherst's XI in September 1790. Amherst's XI won by 130 runs.[6] Mann moved away from Bourne soon afterward.

A modern cricket club, Bishopsbourne Cricket Club, played matches on a ground at Charlton Park to the south of Bourne Park. This ground is still in use.[7][8]

References
  1. Wallace L et al. (2014) Archaeological Investigations of a Major Building, probably Roman, and related landscape features at Bourne Park, Bishopsbourne, 2011–12, Archaeologia Cantiana, Vol. 134, pp.187–203. (Available online. Retrieved 2017-12-17).
  2. Wallace L, Johnson P, Strutt K (2013) Bourne Park (Bishopsbourne) Geophysical Survey 2012 Results, Cambridge University. (Available online. Retrieved 2017-12-17).
  3. Johnson P, Wallace L (2012) Bourne Park (Bishopsbourne) Geophysical Survey 2011 Results, Cambridge University. (Available online. Retrieved 2017-12-17).
  4. Buckley GB (1935) Fresh Light on 18th Century Cricket, p.18. Birmingham: Cotterell.
  5. Bourne Paddock, Bishopsbourne, CricketArchive. Retrieved 2017-12-17.
  6. Haygarth A (1862) Cricket Scores And Biographies Of Celebrated Cricketers From 1746-1826. Vol 1. Lillywhite.
  7. Bishopsbourne Cricket Club, Bishopsbourne Parish Council. Retrieved 2018-06-10.
  8. Sports & Outdoor Activities, Charlton Park. Retrieved 2018-06-10.

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