An Overview of the Club's past

Canterbury Cricket Club, formally Beverley Cricket Club, is one of the oldest cricket clubs in the country.

The Beverley Cricket Club was founded in 1835 by John Baker, William Baker and Frederick Fagge using a ground at St. Stephens in Canterbury. It was named after the Bakers' house and park in St. Stephen's, near Canterbury, where there is still an 'Old Beverlie' public house.

It was instrumental in starting Canterbury Cricket Week and helped to establish the first Kent Club in 1842. With Fuller Pilch, the greatest player of the day, as both its groundsman and professional, the club moved to a new ground at St.Lawrence in Canterbury where it enjoyed a period of great fame and success. In 1870, it amalgamated with the Kent Club to form the present Kent County Cricket Club.

The Club rapidly established itself as one of the strongest local sides in this 'golden age' of Kent cricket, and was soon staging the annual fixture between Kent and England.

In 1842, the Club was responsible for starting Canterbury Cricket Week - the first such festival - and for helping establish the first Kent Cricket Club. With Fuller Pilch, the greatest player of the day, as the Club's groundsman and professional, and a new ground at St. Lawrence, Canterbury (still the county ground) the Club enjoyed a period of great fame and success.

In 1859, a new Kent Club was founded at Maidstone, but the Beverley continued to run the Cricket Week. Finally in 1870, the two clubs amalgamated to form the present Kent County Cricket Club.

A new Beverley Club then emerged out of the St. Stephen's CC. After the first world war, it again played on the county ground, which it continued to share with St. Lawrence for the next sixty years. It thus reestablished its reputation as one of Canterbury's leading sports clubs. The connection with the County remained strong, and youngsters such as Arthur Fagg started their careers with the Beverley. The two clubs then joined together during the Second World War in order to continue club cricket in the city. After the War, the Club continued to flourish, running up to three sides, at first just in friendly cricket.

In 1976, the Beverley was one of the founder members of the East Kent League, (and even now is participating in the new structure of League cricket in Kent). In 1979, the Beverley amalgamated with the Canterbury Pilgrims, a local Sunday side, in order to join with Canterbury Hockey Club as founder members in the new Polo Farm Sports Club.

The Club has played at Polo Farm since 1982. It now runs at least three sides on both Saturday and Sunday, and has had a particularly successful Colts section since 1976 - the Under 15s have been county champions several times in recent years, and were third in the national championships in 1992. With a large outfield, an excellent square, and a fine clubhouse, the facilities are among the best in Kent. The ground is regularly used to host local finals and other cricketing events.

In 1999, in recognition of its status as one of the top twenty clubs in the County, the Club decided to change its name to Canterbury Cricket Club. It has played under this new name since 2000.


Peter Henderson - a master at The King's School, Canterbury and a long-time member - has been working on the Club's history and a version of it is produced in article form on this site. A downloadable version will be available in due course.