Crown Flatt
Encyclopedia
Crown Flatt, known as the Tetley's Stadium for sponsorship purposes, is a rugby league
stadium on Owl Lane in Dewsbury
, West Yorkshire
, England
. It is the home of Dewsbury
rugby league club. It occupies the site of Shaw Cross Colliery, which closed in August 1968.
Crown Flatt was also the name of a stadium used by Dewsbury until 13 September 1988 when it was deliberately burnt down in an act of arson. It stood on Leeds Road at Earlsheaton.
matches and fun days.
There are plans to develop the complex over the next couple of years as the club aims to bring the ground up to Super League
standards.
The earliest surviving reference to the Crown Flatt enclosure is the one goal to nil defeat by Leeds
Caledonians on 22 January 1876.
In season 1879/80 the ground acquired its first permanent structure - a wooden terrace occupying the top side of the estate. At around the same time, and at a cost of £250, the field acquired a perimeter wall, turnstile
s, viewing platforms and a refreshment tent.
Improved changing facilities appeared during the 1884/85 campaign. "Noah’s Ark" - a 3,500 seater grandstand purchased from the Royal Agricultural Show
at Preston for £170 was erected along the southern touchline in time for the visit of Morley
on 26 September 1885. In 1890, Crown Flatt hosted its very first international rugby union
match when it was used as England's
first venue after a two year absence from the Home Nations Championship
due to the RFU's
refusal to join the International Rugby Board
. The game is notable as it was the first time England
had lost to Wales
, with the only try scored by a Dewsbury player, Wales's 'Buller' Stadden
.
In November 1897, the committee of Dewsbury and Savile Football and Athletic Club decided to abandon rugby union in favour of soccer and in mid-1898, to vacate Crown Flatt.
In September 1898 after rejecting an approach from the new Northern Union
tenants, the Dewsbury and Savile committee received notice to remove their property from the ground before the end of the month. By 17 September both the top stand and "Noah’s Ark" opposite had been taken down, their rotten remains were sold to the local Poor Law Union
for use as firewood.
In the summer of 1936, Crown Flatt became the home of Dewsbury Royals Professional Baseball
Club. However, crowds were disappointing, and without the financial backing, which other clubs received, Dewsbury could not attract quality foreign players and struggled to compete with the bigger clubs. The club disappeared after the 1936 season.
Crown Flatt was burnt down in an act of arson on 13 September 1988. It was replaced with a modern housing estate
. The erection of the new stadium was overseen by the then present committee with the first part of the work done by the then president David T Farrow JP who died in 1991, before he could see the new stadium built.
, a match they won 82-6.
The ground staged its final first class fixture on 14 April 1991 when Barrow were held to a 19-19 draw. Dewsbury full-back Nathan Graham, with a late conversion, registered the last senior points. The area is now covered by a housing estate, the streets of which are named after Dewsbury players.
The Rams suffix was adopted by the club in 1996 as part of rugby league
's transition from a winter to a summer schedule. Crown Flatt stadium was renamed Ram Stadium in 1998.
In 2005, The stadium was again renamed Tetley's Stadium.
The car parks to the south of the stadium hold one of the biggest car boot sales in the region, raising much needed revenue for the Community Trust run by the club.
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
stadium on Owl Lane in Dewsbury
Dewsbury
Dewsbury is a minster town in the Metropolitan Borough of Kirklees, in West Yorkshire, England. It is to the west of Wakefield, east of Huddersfield and south of Leeds...
, West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire
West Yorkshire is a metropolitan county within the Yorkshire and the Humber region of England with a population of 2.2 million. West Yorkshire came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972....
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It is the home of Dewsbury
Dewsbury Rams
Dewsbury Rams RLFC is a professional rugby league club based in the West Yorkshire town of Dewsbury. They are arguably most famous for becoming Champions in 1972-73 after finishing the regular season in 8th place. In the playoffs they beat Featherstone away, Warrington away, and then Leeds in the...
rugby league club. It occupies the site of Shaw Cross Colliery, which closed in August 1968.
Crown Flatt was also the name of a stadium used by Dewsbury until 13 September 1988 when it was deliberately burnt down in an act of arson. It stood on Leeds Road at Earlsheaton.
The stadium
The stadium has two covered stands, one seated and one standing with an approximate capacity of 3,500 including 900 seats and disabled facilities. As part of the Rams' Community Development Programme, the stadium also hosts matches for a number of other organisations. This ranges from local schools' matches, representative amateur and student rugby league games to American footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
matches and fun days.
There are plans to develop the complex over the next couple of years as the club aims to bring the ground up to Super League
Super League
Super League is the top-level professional rugby league football club competition in Europe. As a result of sponsorship from engage Mutual Assurance the competition is currently officially known as the engage Super League. The League features fourteen teams: thirteen from England and one from...
standards.
The original stadium
On 19 January 1876, Mr A. Fearnsides - a Savile estate tenant - had agreed to sub-let the field to Dewsbury Athletic and Football Club for an initial payment of £20 per year.The earliest surviving reference to the Crown Flatt enclosure is the one goal to nil defeat by Leeds
Leeds
Leeds is a city and metropolitan borough in West Yorkshire, England. In 2001 Leeds' main urban subdivision had a population of 443,247, while the entire city has a population of 798,800 , making it the 30th-most populous city in the European Union.Leeds is the cultural, financial and commercial...
Caledonians on 22 January 1876.
In season 1879/80 the ground acquired its first permanent structure - a wooden terrace occupying the top side of the estate. At around the same time, and at a cost of £250, the field acquired a perimeter wall, turnstile
Turnstile
A turnstile, also called a baffle gate, is a form of gate which allows one person to pass at a time. It can also be made so as to enforce one-way traffic of people, and in addition, it can restrict passage only to people who insert a coin, a ticket, a pass, or similar...
s, viewing platforms and a refreshment tent.
Improved changing facilities appeared during the 1884/85 campaign. "Noah’s Ark" - a 3,500 seater grandstand purchased from the Royal Agricultural Show
Agricultural show
An agricultural show is a public event showcasing the equipment, animals, sports and recreation associated with agriculture and animal husbandry. The largest comprise a livestock show , a trade fair, competitions, and entertainment...
at Preston for £170 was erected along the southern touchline in time for the visit of Morley
Morley
- Places :United Kingdom* Morley, County Durham, England* Morley, Derbyshire, England* Morley, West Yorkshire, England* Morley Saint Botolph, Norfolk, England* Morley Saint Peter, Norfolk, EnglandUnited States* Morley, Iowa* Morley, Michigan...
on 26 September 1885. In 1890, Crown Flatt hosted its very first international rugby union
Rugby union
Rugby union, often simply referred to as rugby, is a full contact team sport which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the two codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand...
match when it was used as England's
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
first venue after a two year absence from the Home Nations Championship
Six Nations Championship
The Six Nations Championship is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales....
due to the RFU's
Rugby Football Union
The Rugby Football Union was founded in 1871 as the governing body for the sport of rugby union, and performed as the international governing body prior to the formation of the International Rugby Board in 1886...
refusal to join the International Rugby Board
International Rugby Board
The International Rugby Board is the governing body for the sport of rugby union. It was founded in 1886 as the International Rugby Football Board by the unions of Scotland, Wales and Ireland. England refused to join until 1890. The International Rugby Football Board changed its name to the...
. The game is notable as it was the first time England
England national rugby union team
The England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 26 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam, making them the most successful team in...
had lost to Wales
Wales national rugby union team
The Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
, with the only try scored by a Dewsbury player, Wales's 'Buller' Stadden
William Stadden
William James Wood "Buller" Stadden was a Welsh international rugby union half back who played club rugby for Cardiff and Dewsbury. Stadden won eight caps for Wales over a period of seven years and is most remembered for scoring the winning try in 1890 to give Wales their first victory over England...
.
In November 1897, the committee of Dewsbury and Savile Football and Athletic Club decided to abandon rugby union in favour of soccer and in mid-1898, to vacate Crown Flatt.
In September 1898 after rejecting an approach from the new Northern Union
Rugby Football League
The Rugby Football League is the governing body for professional rugby league football in England. Based at Red Hall in Leeds, it administers the England national rugby league team, the Challenge Cup, Super League and the Rugby League Championships...
tenants, the Dewsbury and Savile committee received notice to remove their property from the ground before the end of the month. By 17 September both the top stand and "Noah’s Ark" opposite had been taken down, their rotten remains were sold to the local Poor Law Union
Poor Law Union
A Poor Law Union was a unit used for local government in the United Kingdom from the 19th century. The administration of the Poor Law was the responsibility of parishes, which varied wildly in their size, populations, financial resources, rateable values and requirements...
for use as firewood.
In the summer of 1936, Crown Flatt became the home of Dewsbury Royals Professional Baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
Club. However, crowds were disappointing, and without the financial backing, which other clubs received, Dewsbury could not attract quality foreign players and struggled to compete with the bigger clubs. The club disappeared after the 1936 season.
Crown Flatt was burnt down in an act of arson on 13 September 1988. It was replaced with a modern housing estate
Housing estate
A housing estate is a group of buildings built together as a single development. The exact form may vary from country to country. Accordingly, a housing estate is usually built by a single contractor, with only a few styles of house or building design, so they tend to be uniform in appearance...
. The erection of the new stadium was overseen by the then present committee with the first part of the work done by the then president David T Farrow JP who died in 1991, before he could see the new stadium built.
The new stadium
Dewsbury played their first home game at the new Crown Flatt stadium (often erroneously called New Crown Flatt) on 6 September 1994 in front of a full house against BarrowBarrow Raiders
Barrow Raiders are an English professional rugby league team from Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria, who are coached by Dave Clark. Formed in 1875 as Barrow Football Club, the club is the oldest of the current professional sports teams in Cumbria....
, a match they won 82-6.
The ground staged its final first class fixture on 14 April 1991 when Barrow were held to a 19-19 draw. Dewsbury full-back Nathan Graham, with a late conversion, registered the last senior points. The area is now covered by a housing estate, the streets of which are named after Dewsbury players.
The Rams suffix was adopted by the club in 1996 as part of rugby league
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
's transition from a winter to a summer schedule. Crown Flatt stadium was renamed Ram Stadium in 1998.
In 2005, The stadium was again renamed Tetley's Stadium.
The car parks to the south of the stadium hold one of the biggest car boot sales in the region, raising much needed revenue for the Community Trust run by the club.