Angel Ground
Encyclopedia
The Angel Ground was a cricket
and later association football venue in Tonbridge
, Kent
. It was used by Kent County Cricket Club
and Tonbridge Angels F.C.
, before being redeveloped by Tonbridge and Malling District Council in 1980.
, was first used as a venue for first-class cricket
in 1869, when Kent
were defeated by Nottinghamshire
by an innings over three days. The ground became more widely used by the county during the 1880s, with Sussex
the most regular visitors.
In 1897, the ground became the base for the "Tonbridge Nursery", a training centre for Kent's younger players. The nursery became renowned for producing top-class cricketers; including Colin Blythe
, James Seymour
and Frank Woolley
, amongst others. The nursery closed in 1927. Despite this, first-class cricket continued to be played on the ground until 1939, with Kent's drawn match with Glamorgan
the last to be played on the ground.
, Tonbridge Angels F.C.
leased the ground from the local council and adopted it as their home ground
. Their first match, against Hastings United, drew a crowd of 5,000, with Hastings running out 2–1 winners.
The ground saw its record attendance for Tonbridge's FA Cup
tie in 1951–52 against Aldershot F.C.
, when 8,236 attended. Another FA Cup tie, against Charlton Athletic F.C.
in 1972–73, saw 7,770 attend.
However, by 1977 the local council (the landlords) required the ground for redevelopment. A three-year legal battle was fought, eventually reaching the High Court
, before the council offered Tonbridge Angels a new ground, the Longmead Stadium. The ground was demolished in 1980, with the Angel Shopping Centre, amongst other structures, built over it.
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...
and later association football venue in Tonbridge
Tonbridge
Tonbridge is a market town in the English county of Kent, with a population of 30,340 in 2007. It is located on the River Medway, approximately 4 miles north of Tunbridge Wells, 12 miles south west of Maidstone and 29 miles south east of London...
, Kent
Kent
Kent is a county in southeast England, and is one of the home counties. It borders East Sussex, Surrey and Greater London and has a defined boundary with Essex in the middle of the Thames Estuary. The ceremonial county boundaries of Kent include the shire county of Kent and the unitary borough of...
. It was used by Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
and Tonbridge Angels F.C.
Tonbridge Angels F.C.
Tonbridge Angels Football Club is an English football club who play at Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge, Kent, since moving from the Angel Ground in 1980....
, before being redeveloped by Tonbridge and Malling District Council in 1980.
Cricket venue
The Angel Ground, named after a nearby hotelHotel
A hotel is an establishment that provides paid lodging on a short-term basis. The provision of basic accommodation, in times past, consisting only of a room with a bed, a cupboard, a small table and a washstand has largely been replaced by rooms with modern facilities, including en-suite bathrooms...
, was first used as a venue for first-class cricket
First-class cricket
First-class cricket is a class of cricket that consists of matches of three or more days' scheduled duration, that are between two sides of eleven players and are officially adjudged first-class by virtue of the standard of the competing teams...
in 1869, when Kent
Kent County Cricket Club
Kent County Cricket Club is one of the 18 first class county county cricket clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the county of Kent...
were defeated by Nottinghamshire
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club
Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Nottinghamshire, and the current county champions. Its limited overs team is called the Nottinghamshire Outlaws...
by an innings over three days. The ground became more widely used by the county during the 1880s, with Sussex
Sussex County Cricket Club
Sussex County Cricket Club is the oldest of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh domestic cricket structure, representing the historic county of Sussex. The club was founded as a successor to Brighton Cricket Club which was a representative of the county of Sussex as a...
the most regular visitors.
In 1897, the ground became the base for the "Tonbridge Nursery", a training centre for Kent's younger players. The nursery became renowned for producing top-class cricketers; including Colin Blythe
Colin Blythe
Colin Blythe , also known as Charlie Blythe, was a Kent and England left arm spinner who is regarded as one of the finest bowlers of the period between 1900 and 1914 - sometimes referred to as the "Golden Age" of cricket.-Career:Blythe first played...
, James Seymour
James Seymour (cricketer)
James Seymour was a Kent cricketer from 1902 until 1926, having previously played for W. G. Grace's London County Cricket Club in first-class matches in 1900 and 1901. He was born in Sussex....
and Frank Woolley
Frank Woolley
Frank Edward Woolley was an English cricketer, one of the finest all-rounders the game has seen. In a career lasting more than thirty years, he scored more first-class runs than anyone but Sir Jack Hobbs, and took over 2,000 wickets at an average of under 20...
, amongst others. The nursery closed in 1927. Despite this, first-class cricket continued to be played on the ground until 1939, with Kent's drawn match with Glamorgan
Glamorgan County Cricket Club
Glamorgan County Cricket Club is one of the 18 major county clubs which make up the English and Welsh national cricket structure, representing the historic county of Glamorgan aka Glamorganshire . Glamorgan CCC is the only Welsh first-class cricket club. Glamorgan CCC have won the English County...
the last to be played on the ground.
Football venue
Following their formation and election to the Southern Football LeagueSouthern Football League
The Southern League is an English football competition featuring semi-professional and amateur clubs from the South West, South Central and Midlands of England and South Wales...
, Tonbridge Angels F.C.
Tonbridge Angels F.C.
Tonbridge Angels Football Club is an English football club who play at Longmead Stadium in Tonbridge, Kent, since moving from the Angel Ground in 1980....
leased the ground from the local council and adopted it as their home ground
Home (sports)
In sports, home is a term referring to both the city and stadium, arena, or field where an athletic team plays games at their venue, whilst when the team plays elsewhere then they are considered the away team. The home term can refer to either the sponsoring institution or the place where it is...
. Their first match, against Hastings United, drew a crowd of 5,000, with Hastings running out 2–1 winners.
The ground saw its record attendance for Tonbridge's FA Cup
FA Cup
The Football Association Challenge Cup, commonly known as the FA Cup, is a knockout cup competition in English football and is the oldest association football competition in the world. The "FA Cup" is run by and named after The Football Association and usually refers to the English men's...
tie in 1951–52 against Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot F.C.
Aldershot Football Club was an English Football League club, which was wound up in the High Court in March 1992. They became the first Football League club since Accrington Stanley to resign from the League during the course of a season. The club was nicknamed the Shots for both the last syllable...
, when 8,236 attended. Another FA Cup tie, against Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic F.C.
Charlton Athletic Football Club is an English professional football club based in Charlton, in the London Borough of Greenwich. They compete in Football League One, the third tier of English football. The club was founded on 9 June 1905, when a number of youth clubs in the southeast London area,...
in 1972–73, saw 7,770 attend.
However, by 1977 the local council (the landlords) required the ground for redevelopment. A three-year legal battle was fought, eventually reaching the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
, before the council offered Tonbridge Angels a new ground, the Longmead Stadium. The ground was demolished in 1980, with the Angel Shopping Centre, amongst other structures, built over it.