Artillery Ground
{{Short description|Open space in Finsbury}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2014}}
{{Use British English|date=February 2014}}
{{Infobox cricket ground
| ground = Artillery Ground
| image = Artillery Ground in 2008.jpg
| imagesize =
| caption =
| location = Finsbury, Islington
| home club = London Cricket Club
Honourable Artillery Company Cricket Club
| county club =
| established = by 1730
| last used =
}}
The Artillery Ground in Finsbury is an open space originally set aside for archery and later known also as a cricket venue. Today it is used for military exercises, cricket, rugby and football matches. It belongs to the Honourable Artillery Company (HAC), whose headquarters, Armoury House, overlook the grounds.
History
=Origins=
From 1498, about {{convert|11|acre}} of the {{convert|23|acre|ha|adj=on}} Bunhill Fields were set aside for the practice of archery and shooting. Today's {{convert|8|acre|ha|adj=on}} site was given to the Artillery Company in 1638.{{cite book|author=Anthony Higmore|title=The History of the Honourable Artillery Company of the City of London|year=1804|page=64|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_9xqMj_R3a4C&pg=PA64}}
=Cricket=
Although the earliest definite cricket match at the Artillery Ground, between London and Surrey, took place in August 1730, it is believed to have been used to host matches as early as 1725. London used the ground regularly, as did England XIs throughout much of the 18th century.[http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/ground/234526.html Artillery Ground], CricInfo. Retrieved 2019-01-01. There were five matches recorded on the ground in 1731, three against Dartford and two against Croydon and the ground became the most important in the country for a time.[https://cricketarchive.com/Archive/Grounds/11/2322.html Honourable Artillery Company Ground, Finsbury], CricketArchive. Retrieved 2019-01-01. {{subscription required}}
By the 1770s the HAC was attempting to block cricket being played on the ground, and the last significant match for over 50 years took place in 1778. Two matches which have since been given retrospective first-class cricket status: one played in 1773 and the other in 1778. Both saw England sides play Hampshire on the ground.
Cricket was restarted on the ground in 1846 but only members of the HAC were allowed to play. The HAC Cricket Club was founded in 1860.
=Later history=
On 15 September 1784 Vincenzo Lunardi, flew a balloon from the Artillery Ground, the first such flight in England.Rumens, Carol, 13 October 2008. [https://www.theguardian.com/books/booksblog/2008/oct/13/poem-of-the-week "Poem of the Week: To a Louse"], Guardian Books Blog, retrieved 5 August 2012.
The area is now used for rugby and football in the winter and cricket in the summer by HAC teams including HAC RFC.[https://www.hac.org.uk/home/about-the-hac/clubs-societies/hac-sports-clubs/cricket-club/ Cricket Club], The Honourable Artillery Company. Retrieved 2018-01-01.{{cite web|url=http://www.cityrugby.co.uk/home.php|title=HAC RFC|access-date=18 November 2015}} Notably, it hosted a rugby union match between Saracens and the USA national team on 9 November 2010, won 20–6 by Saracens.{{cite press release|url=http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=6142 |title=Sarries beat USA in the City |publisher=Saracens Ltd. |date=2010-11-09 |access-date=2010-11-09 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615103015/http://www.saracens.com/news/view.php?Id=6142 |archive-date=15 June 2011 |df=dmy }} It is also, as a source of revenue for the HAC, rented out for parties and events including the annual Cityrace 5 km run through the city's streets.{{cite web|url=https://www.cityrace.co.uk/race-info/|title=Race Information|publisher=Cityrace 2018|access-date=10 October 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181011053508/https://www.cityrace.co.uk/race-info/|archive-date=11 October 2018|url-status=dead}}
References
{{reflist}}
{{Green London}}
{{English cricket venues to 1770}}
{{coord|51.5219|-0.0887|type:landmark|display=title}}
Category:1638 establishments in England
Category:Cricket grounds in Middlesex
Category:English cricket venues in the 18th century
Category:Honourable Artillery Company
Category:Parks and open spaces in the London Borough of Islington
Category:Sport in the London Borough of Islington
Category:Sport in the British Army
Category:Sports venues completed in 1730