England’s Cricket Stadia:

Part 1 - The History of Lord’s & the MCC

Panoramic view from the Mound Stand at Lord's

If you mention cricket grounds and London, the first thing that most people will think of is Lord’s. Perhaps the 

most famous cricket ground in the world, it is most notably the home of the MCC, the Marylebone Cricket 

Club, the guardian’s of the laws of the game to this day.

In addition it has been the home of the International Cricket Council (ICC), the worldwide governing body of  

cricket, until they relocated to Dubai in 2005, and is still the home of the England and Wales Cricket Board

(ECB) and the European Cricket Council (ECC). Due to its history, the role it has played in the development of  

the game and its position as the game’s HQ for most of its existence, it is still regarded by most as the 

spiritual home of cricket despite not necessarily being its administrative centre anymore.

History of the Ground

The ground that we know as Lord’s today is in fact the third home for the MCC since its formation. The original 

Lord’s, now known as Lord’s Old Ground was created by Thomas Lord in 1787 when he founded the MCC on 

the site of the modern day Dorset Square, just north of Marylebone. The club’s tenure at this ground was cut 

short because of issues with rent and so he moved it north in 1811 to the second of the MCC’s three homes 

 just off the Lisson Grove thoroughfare in St John’s Wood. However the MCC’s stay at Lord’s Middle Ground 

was even shorter lived as the building of the Regent’s Canal forced Thomas Lord to move the club (almost 

literally) a stone’s through further north to its present location in St John’s Wood after just three years.

Lord's Pavilion

© Stuart Mitchell 2012 Page 1 of 3

 

Lord’s witnessed the first in its long and illustrious history of cricket matches when the MCC lined up against 

a team representing Hertfordshire in 1814, whilst a few years later in 1818, it hosted a match which is still 

being replayed to this day and which made its first appearance on the Old Ground in 1805, between sides 

from the public schools of Eton and Harrow. However, it wasn’t until the relatively late 1884 that the ground 

saw its first international test match with England hosting their oldest foes Australia.

History of the MCC

The MCC itself was founded as an evolution of earlier cricket clubs whose roots are lost in the mists of time. 

However, its immediate predecessors were the White Conduit Club and, before that, the London Cricket Club, 

based in Islington - both general sporting clubs with a focus on cricket. It can even trace some of its DNA (e.g., 

memberships) back to the early pioneers of cricket at the Hambledon Club based in the Hampshire village, 

 just outside of Southampton. The White Conduit Club (WCC) evolved out of the Star & Garter (previously 

known as “Je ne sais quoi”) club in Pall Mall in the early 18th century and it was this club who drew up some 

of the earliest laws of the game.

Individual clubs still followed different sets of rules until the Star & Garter’s descendant club the MCC took 

on the mantle of governors of the game of cricket in 1788 and produced the first set of laws which would in 

time become the game’s unifying code. Although the MCC still maintains these laws, it has released much of  

its governing responsibilities in other areas to newer organisations such as the ICC and the ECB (from 1993 

onwards).

During the 20th century, the MCC also took on the responsibility or raising the England national team and 

only relinquished this duty too after the winter tour of Australia in 1976/7 although the recognisable bacon 

and eggs colours of the MCC was used by the team as late as their 1996/7 tour of New Zealand.

Tennis & Other Sports

Lord‘s and the Marylebone Cricket 

Club don’t just boast a pivotal 

history in the game of cricket but 

they also played a fundamental role 

in the development of the game of   

lawn tennis and subsequently what 

we think of as tennis today. Prior to 

their switch in

1876 to the All England Club at 

Wimbledon, the MCC was also 

responsible for the laws of the game 

in their first couple of years in 

existence.

he ground even witnessed a baseball 

games, cricket’s distant American 

cousin, during the First World War 

between teams representing the US and Canada, whilst many other sports have also made use of the facilities 

including archery which will make a reappearance there during the 2012 London Olympics.

Modern Developments

© Stuart Mitchell 2012 Page 2 of 3

 

Whilst the famous Pavilion, including its Long Room, was built in 1890 in a recognisably Victorian style a 

large proportion of the grounds other stands have been rebuilt during the late 20th century (e.g., Mounds 

Stand 1987, Grandstand 1996). The most striking addition to the ground is arguably the futuristic media 

centre which was finished in 1999 and went on to receive awards for the quality of its design. There are still

plans for a further 10,000 seats to be added to the ground to take its capacity up to 42,000 as well as the 

addition of an ice rink and apartments to go alongside the ground and the club’s existing facilities such as 

the world’s oldest sports museum and a rare real-tennis court.

If you are keen to find out more about living in West London or Wimbledon then you can visit thisEstate Agents 

in Marylebone or this letting agent specialising in Wimbledon's Flats respectively.

Panoramic view from the Mound Stand at Lord's by mailliw on Flickr 

Lord's Pavilion by sarflondondunc on Flickr 

 Archery at Lord’s, 2012 Olympics by Alex McGregor on Geograph

© Stuart Mitchell 2012 Page 3 of 3