Epping Foresters - A Brief History
By Sylvia Tyers
Everyone is welcome to bring a deckchair and watch cricket for nothing
in this lovely green open space, above London’s busiest motorway and
within minutes of central London.
A number of local families and friends including several ex-servicemen,
centred on the Epping Allnutts Institute, got together in 1947 to play
cricket as a wandering side, touring local villages. Within the next two
years they had negotiated a licence from the Conservators of Epping
Forest to play on Mill Plain near Bell Common, and had created their
own playing space from swamp land. At that stage they adopted the
name Epping Foresters Cricket Club, and have continued to play on the
present site ever since.
Starting out, they used to change in a tent; later the members’ talents
and funds combined to build a pavilion.
The Club developed through the 1960s but by the 1970s faced the
devastating consequences of the M25 motorway being built right
through the site. The Club was temporarily displaced for a period of 5
years during the early 1980s while the motorway was being constructed
in a deep cut-and –cover tunnel, and the ground was then reinstated
by the Dept of Transport. The Club struggled through this period but
held together, reopening in its new clubhouse in 1986, and from there
onwards has grown in strength.
Today, as well as our playing members, we welcome youngsters and coach
them from the age of under 9s to under 15s, when they move up to the
senior teams.
For many years the Club has played in the Herts & Essex League, at
most times in the first of seven divisions, and have recently added a
second team playing in a lower division. The Club also runs a Sunday
non-league team.
We hope to welcome new members, their families and spectators to
enjoy a game of cricket on our beautiful ground.