Greatest Cricket Moments

Thomas Lord Secures the St John's Wood Site — December 1810

1810-12-14n/aLease agreement for the future Lord's Cricket Ground, St John's Wood Road, December 18101 min readSeverity: Mild

Summary

On 14 December 1810 Thomas Lord signed the lease on a seven-acre site on St John's Wood Road that would, four years later, become the third and final Lord's Cricket Ground. The lease — for an initial 80 years from the Eyre Estate — was negotiated as insurance against the increasingly likely loss of the Middle Ground at North Bank. The site Lord secured in December 1810 has hosted cricket continuously ever since.

Background

Lord had been operating cricket grounds in north London since 1787. The St John's Wood lease was his third site and turned out to be permanent.

What Happened

Lord had been worried since 1809 about the long-term security of the North Bank Middle Ground. The Regent's Canal scheme, then under parliamentary discussion, threatened compulsory purchase. He began searching for a third site early in 1810. The St John's Wood Road land — then on the rural northern edge of London — was offered to him by the Eyre Estate at a favourable rent. The lease was signed on 14 December 1810. Lord did not move at once: he waited until the Middle Ground was actually lost in 1813, then transferred turf and pavilion fittings to the new ground, which opened in June 1814.

Timeline

1809

Concerns rise over the Middle Ground's future

Spring 1810

Lord begins search for a third site

14 Dec 1810

St John's Wood lease signed

22 Jun 1814

Ground opens

Aftermath

The St John's Wood ground opened on 22 June 1814 with an MCC v Hertfordshire fixture. The Eyre Estate lease has been renewed and extended; the ground remains MCC's home.

⚖️ The Verdict

The most consequential property transaction in cricket's history — the moment the present Lord's became inevitable.

Legacy & Impact

Modern Lord's — the 'home of cricket' — exists because of Lord's December 1810 lease. The site has been continuously used for cricket for over 210 years.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much was the original rent?▾
Around £100 a year — modest even by the standards of 1810. The Eyre Estate's interest was in seeing the land developed in any productive way.

Tags

#regency-cricket#underarm#thomas-lord#st-johns-wood#lords#1810#iconic-moment

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