Linton Cricket Club Cricket Pavilion

Summary

Cricket pavilion of circa 1888, built by the Cornwallis family who owned Linton Park between 1883 and1936.

Reasons for Designation

Linton Cricket Club Cricket Pavilion, a purpose-built pre-fabricated corrugated iron structure built by 1888 by the Cornwallis family of Linton Park, is listed at Grade II for the following principal reasons:
* Architectural interest: a good quality cricket pavilion with central gabled clock face and a verandah supported on elaborate cast iron Composite columns, with decorative iron cresting, scrolled brackets and wooden barge-boards with cutouts;
* Intactness: the exterior has no significant alterations and the interior retains its roof structure, doors, wall panelling and partitions;
* Date: very few pre-1914 cricket pavilions survive;
* Rarity: pre-fabricated corrugated iron cricket pavilions are a very rare survival nationally.

History

Linton Park Cricket Club was formed in 1787 but at that time cricket was played on another site in Coxheath. The distinguished list of original patrons of the club was headed by the Duke of Dorset. Later cricket was first played on another site in Linton Park before moving to the present cricket ground in 1861. In 1864 the estate was owned by Lady Julia Mann who married Viscount Holmesdale, the 5th Earl of Amherst and President of Kent County Cricket Club. Cricket was first played on this ground between her Ladyship's side and His Lordship's side in 1861 and played regularly on the ground from that date.

The Cornwallis family, who owned the estate from 1883 to 1936 laid a new square to the cricket pitch and built the cricket pavilion. An 1888 photograph of the cricket team shows the cricket pavilion in the background. The cricket pavilion is not shown on the First Edition Ordnance Survey map of 1885 but appears on the second edition sheet of 1897 with its current footprint.

The ground was regularly used for grand matches and also village cricket matches. Lord Cornwallis employed talented local cricketers to improve the side, including Tom Peach, employed as a groundsman and head keeper whose duties also included looking after and running with the Estate Beagle pack. His descendants continue to play for Linton Park 130 years later.

Details

Cricket pavilion, constructed by 1888, built by the Cornwallis family who owned Linton Park between 1883 and 1936. Later C20 kitchen units are not of special interest.

MATERIALS: pre-fabricated corrugated iron structure on a brick plinth, with iron columns and cresting and wooden barge boards, clock tower and internal walls and roof structure.

PLAN: a single-storey rectangular building of three bays with a verandah to the east side.

EXTERIOR: the building has ornamental roof cresting to the roof ridge and a gabled wooden clock to the centre of the east side. The east side has a verandah with cast iron ornamental cresting supported on scrolled brackets and elaborate cast iron Composite pillars with tall octagonal bases. Behind are two wooden casement windows and a central half-glazed double door with chamfered panels. The north and south ends have wooden barge-boards with alternate trefoil and circular cutouts and a wooden casement window. The south end has two casement windows, the north end one casement window and a doorcase. The west side has two casement window openings.

INTERIOR: the wooden roof structure is of three bays with cross-bracing and purlins; there is also wall panelling. An internal partition along the full length divides a circulation area in the front from two changing rooms for the home and away sides to the rear. Original panelled doors with diagonal struts survive as do some wooden benches. A small C20 kitchen has been inserted into the north side of the circulation area and is not of special interest.

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