140 years of Edgbaston Stadium

Since its inception in 1885, Edgbaston has hosted the Bears. In 2025, it will mark 140 years of calling this historic venue home.

The earliest record of cricket being played in Warwickshire was 1751 at the Holte Bridgman’s cricket ground at the Apollo in Aston, but Warwickshire County Cricket Club wouldn’t be formed for over a century later.

In March 1882, five men met at the Regent Hotel in Leamington Spa. David Buchanan, soon to be the Club’s first captain and one of the leading amateur players of the day, M.P. Lucas, Rev G. Cuffe, Col. W. Swynfen Jervis later to become joint Hon Secretary and finally William Ansell.

Ansell believed cricket in Warwickshire was by 1880 “plodding along in the old style” with teams made up with their personal friends calling themselves the county, while the huge population living in and around Birmingham was completely ignored as far as cricket was concerned.

A further meeting at the Queen’s Hotel, Coventry in April 1882 resulted in the official formation of the Warwickshire County Cricket Club Committee, with Ansell being in charge for the next twenty years.

Following the establishment of the new Club, the important matter of finding a Birmingham ground became a priority.

Earlier matches in the south of the county had attracted very disappointing crowds so William Ansell turned his attention to finding a ground in the county’s largest centre of population and many sites were inspected, but usually the terms were too high.

Aston Lower Grounds were looked at but there had already been complaints about the wicket and at that time it was then in Worcestershire. Ten years later, Aston Villa Football Club purchased the site.

Other sites in Aston and Balsall Heath were considered before it was decided that 12 acres of rough grazing meadowland by the banks of the Rea, on the Calthorpe Estate should be acquired.

In June 1885 the committee, having inspected the site, resolved to lease the land for twenty one years as a County Cricket Ground and that a further cost estimated at £1250 would be incurred in laying down drainage and fencing.

The Club asked the Mayor of Birmingham to call a public meeting to gain interest and raise the money. At the meeting the Mayor described the land as being twelve acres, rather more than was necessary for cricket, but such as would allow other sports to be played there.

The land was to be leased to the Club at £5 per acre and the Mayor believed that anyone who were to advance any capital would expect a fair return for their money, although the main objective was to advance the interests and position of the cricket club rather than making dividends.

Following the meeting a resolution was laid down that a county cricket ground should be formed for Warwickshire and a limited liability company formed to raise the necessary funds.

In 1885, the new Club acquired the current site with access to both the city and the county  under the name of The Cricket Ground Company.

The rest is history. 

It was in 1885 that the club took the Bear & Ragged Staff emblem on to their county caps. Originally the badge, represented a dancing bear, was a common sight in the towns and at fairs in medieval times, before later appearing in the arms granted to the county of Warwick. Not heraldic, it is more a symbol expressing loyalty to the county and a continuity from the past.

The first match took place at Edgbaston on June 1886 with a two-day match against the MCC with over three thousand people to see it.

Become a Member and join us for a historic year as Edgbaston celebrates 140 years.