Richmond Green
Encyclopedia
Richmond Green is a recreation area located near the centre of Richmond, which is a town of about twenty thousand inhabitants situated in south west London
. The green is essentially square in shape and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees, extends to roughly twelve acres. It is overlooked by a mixture of period townhouses, historic buildings and municipal and commercial establishments.
. In 1625 Charles I
brought his court here to escape the plague in London and by the early 18th century these had become the homes of "minor nobility, diplomats, and court hangers-on".
The construction of the railway in the mid 19th century cut the Green off from Old Deer Park
, and led to the building of Victorian villas for the more prosperous commuters to London. The A316 road
, built in the early 20th century, worsened this separation.
Owned by the Crown Estate
, it is leased to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
. Richmond Green is also situated close to the Richmond Lending Library and Richmond Theatre
.
The Green was a popular venue for cricket
matches during the 18th century and before. The earliest reference to cricket on Richmond Green is from an 1666 letter by Sir Robert Paston, a resident of Richmond .
The earliest known fixture on the Green was Surrey
v Middlesex
in June 1730. Surrey won the match, although the runs are not recorded.
Perhaps the most infamous game to be played on the Green took place the following year on 23 August when a Mr Chambers organised an eleven a side game against the Duke of Richmond
's team from Sussex. It is the earliest match where team scores are known: Duke of Richmond 79, Mr Chambers 119; Duke of Richmond 72, Mr Chambers 23-5 (approx.). The game ended promptly at a pre-agreed time although Mr Chambers with "four or five more to have come in" and needing "about 8 to 10 notches" clearly had the upper hand. The end result caused a fracas among the crowd at Richmond Green who were incensed by the prompt finish because the Duke of Richmond had arrived late and delayed the start of the game. The riot resulted in some of the Sussex players "having the shirts torn off their backs; and it was said a law suit would commence about the play" .
Croydon
played Chertsey
in a drawn game on 5 July 1736: Chertsey 88 & 55; Croydon 58 & 24-9. So Croydon just hung on for the draw .
Another notable game was the earliest known tied match on 22 July 1741 when Surrey played London
. The scores were not reported but we are told that the tie occasioned the bets to be drawn on both sides. The teams decided to play again at the Artillery Ground the following Monday but the result is not recorded .
The first reference to a "Richmond" team playing at Richmond Green is also the last reference to its use as a first class cricket venue. This was on 4 July 1743 when Richmond & Kingston were beaten by London. The famous Robert "Long Robin" Colchin
, of Bromley
, played for London as a given man .
The Green is presently home to two village cricket teams each affiliated with two of Richmond's favourite public houses, the Princes Head and The Cricketers. Midweek matches are contested in the modern limited overs format of Twenty20
usually on a Tuesday or Thursdays, where surrounding village teams compete for the Len Smith Charity Shield.
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. The green is essentially square in shape and its open grassland, framed with broadleaf trees, extends to roughly twelve acres. It is overlooked by a mixture of period townhouses, historic buildings and municipal and commercial establishments.
History
For over 400 years Richmond Green has been edged by houses and commercial premises - built to provide accommodation for people serving or visiting Richmond PalaceRichmond Palace
Richmond Palace was a Thameside royal residence on the right bank of the river, upstream of the Palace of Westminster, to which it lay 9 miles SW of as the crow flies. It it was erected c. 1501 within the royal manor of Sheen, by Henry VII of England, formerly known by his title Earl of Richmond,...
. In 1625 Charles I
Charles I of England
Charles I was King of England, King of Scotland, and King of Ireland from 27 March 1625 until his execution in 1649. Charles engaged in a struggle for power with the Parliament of England, attempting to obtain royal revenue whilst Parliament sought to curb his Royal prerogative which Charles...
brought his court here to escape the plague in London and by the early 18th century these had become the homes of "minor nobility, diplomats, and court hangers-on".
The construction of the railway in the mid 19th century cut the Green off from Old Deer Park
Old Deer Park
Old Deer Park is an area of open space within Richmond-upon-Thames, England, and is in extent. The park is bounded generally by the River Thames to the west, Kew Gardens to the north, and urban areas of Richmond town to the east and south. Owned by the Crown Estate, the park forms part of a larger...
, and led to the building of Victorian villas for the more prosperous commuters to London. The A316 road
A316 road
The A316, also known in parts as the Great Chertsey Road, is a major road in England, which runs from the A315 at Chiswick to the M3 motorway....
, built in the early 20th century, worsened this separation.
Owned by the Crown Estate
Crown Estate
In the United Kingdom, the Crown Estate is a property portfolio owned by the Crown. Although still belonging to the monarch and inherent with the accession of the throne, it is no longer the private property of the reigning monarch and cannot be sold by him/her, nor do the revenues from it belong...
, it is leased to the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
London Borough of Richmond upon Thames
The London Borough of Richmond upon Thames is a London borough in South West London, UK, which forms part of Outer London. It is unique because it is the only London borough situated both north and south of the River Thames.-Settlement:...
. Richmond Green is also situated close to the Richmond Lending Library and Richmond Theatre
Richmond Theatre
The present Richmond Theatre, in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, is a British Victorian theatre located on Little Green, adjacent to Richmond Green. It opened on 18 September 1899 with a performance of As You Like It, and is one of the finest surviving examples of the work of theatre...
.
Cricket on the green
Cricket
Cricket is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams of 11 players on an oval-shaped field, at the centre of which is a rectangular 22-yard long pitch. One team bats, trying to score as many runs as possible while the other team bowls and fields, trying to dismiss the batsmen and thus limit the...
matches during the 18th century and before. The earliest reference to cricket on Richmond Green is from an 1666 letter by Sir Robert Paston, a resident of Richmond .
The earliest known fixture on the Green was Surrey
Surrey county cricket teams
Surrey county cricket teams have been traced back to the 17th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. The first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford.-17th century:...
v Middlesex
Middlesex county cricket teams
Middlesex county cricket teams have been traced back to the 18th century but the county's involvement in cricket goes back much further than that. Given that the first definite mention of cricket anywhere in the world is dated c.1550 in Guildford, it is almost certain that the game had reached...
in June 1730. Surrey won the match, although the runs are not recorded.
Perhaps the most infamous game to be played on the Green took place the following year on 23 August when a Mr Chambers organised an eleven a side game against the Duke of Richmond
Charles Lennox, 2nd Duke of Richmond
The 2nd Duke of Richmond has been described as early cricket's greatest patron. Although he had played cricket as a boy, his real involvement began after he succeeded to the dukedom...
's team from Sussex. It is the earliest match where team scores are known: Duke of Richmond 79, Mr Chambers 119; Duke of Richmond 72, Mr Chambers 23-5 (approx.). The game ended promptly at a pre-agreed time although Mr Chambers with "four or five more to have come in" and needing "about 8 to 10 notches" clearly had the upper hand. The end result caused a fracas among the crowd at Richmond Green who were incensed by the prompt finish because the Duke of Richmond had arrived late and delayed the start of the game. The riot resulted in some of the Sussex players "having the shirts torn off their backs; and it was said a law suit would commence about the play" .
Croydon
Croydon Cricket Club
The original Croydon Cricket Club was one of the oldest in England with origins going back to the early 18th century and perhaps earlier. It played most of its matches at Duppas Hill. The earliest record of the club is in the 1707 season when it played two matches against London Cricket...
played Chertsey
Chertsey Cricket Club
Chertsey Cricket Club in Surrey is one of the oldest in England. Its own website dates its founding as 1737 but in fact matches involving a Chertsey team date from 1736....
in a drawn game on 5 July 1736: Chertsey 88 & 55; Croydon 58 & 24-9. So Croydon just hung on for the draw .
Another notable game was the earliest known tied match on 22 July 1741 when Surrey played London
London Cricket Club
The original London Cricket Club was formed by 1722 and was one of the foremost clubs in English cricket over the next four decades. It is closely associated with the Artillery Ground, where it played most of its home matches.-Early history of London cricket:...
. The scores were not reported but we are told that the tie occasioned the bets to be drawn on both sides. The teams decided to play again at the Artillery Ground the following Monday but the result is not recorded .
The first reference to a "Richmond" team playing at Richmond Green is also the last reference to its use as a first class cricket venue. This was on 4 July 1743 when Richmond & Kingston were beaten by London. The famous Robert "Long Robin" Colchin
Robert Colchin
Robert "Long Robin" Colchin was a highly influential professional English cricketer of the mid-Georgian period at a time when the single wicket version of the game was popular.-Cricket career:...
, of Bromley
Bromley Cricket Club
Bromley Cricket Club was one of the strongest English cricket clubs in the mid-18th century when its team was led by Robert Colchin aka "Long Robin".-Earliest mentions:...
, played for London as a given man .
The Green is presently home to two village cricket teams each affiliated with two of Richmond's favourite public houses, the Princes Head and The Cricketers. Midweek matches are contested in the modern limited overs format of Twenty20
Twenty20
Twenty20 is a form of cricket, originally introduced in England for professional inter-county competition by the England and Wales Cricket Board , in 2003. A Twenty20 game involves two teams, each has a single innings, batting for a maximum of 20 overs. Twenty20 cricket is also known as T20 cricket...
usually on a Tuesday or Thursdays, where surrounding village teams compete for the Len Smith Charity Shield.
See also
- Historic buildings around Richmond Green