Greatest Cricket Moments

New Brick Pavilion Opens at Lord's — May 1826

1826-05-12n/aOpening of the new MCC pavilion, Lord's Cricket Ground, May 18261 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

In May 1826 the MCC opened a new brick pavilion at Lord's, replacing the wooden building destroyed by fire in July 1825. The new pavilion was larger, contained an upgraded Long Room, dressing rooms and committee accommodation, and stood until 1889. It was the second of the three Lord's pavilions and the building in which most of the great roundarm-era matches were administered.

What Happened

The 1816 pavilion had burned down on 28 July 1825, taking the MCC's records and trophies. William Ward — by then ground proprietor — funded the replacement. The new building was designed in plain Regency brick, with a single-storey clubroom containing the Long Room facing the pitch and committee rooms above. It opened on 12 May 1826 in time for the season's first major fixture, MCC v Hertfordshire.

Timeline

28 Jul 1825

1816 wooden pavilion destroyed by fire

12 May 1826

New brick pavilion opens

1889

Brick pavilion demolished

1890

Present Verity pavilion opens

Aftermath

The brick pavilion stood for sixty-three years. It was demolished in 1889 to make way for Thomas Verity's present pavilion (opened 1890).

⚖️ The Verdict

The second of three Lord's pavilions — the building of the roundarm and early Victorian eras.

Legacy & Impact

The 1826 pavilion housed every great Lord's match from the roundarm era to the high Victorian. Most surviving Long Room paintings of the period date from this building.

Tags

#roundarm-era#lords#pavilion#mcc#1826#iconic-moment

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