| Sevenoaks Vine Cricket Ground | |
| Location | Knole House, Sevenoaks, Kent |
| Home club | Duke of Dorset's XI Sevenoaks Vine CC |
| County club | Kent (pre-county club) |
| Established | by 1734 |
The Vine Cricket Ground (aka Sevenoaks Vine) is one of the oldest cricket venues in England. It was given to the town of Sevenoaks in 1773 by John Frederick Sackville, 3rd Duke of Dorset (1745 – 1799) and owner of Knole House, where the ground is sited. The land was thought previously to have been used as a vineyard for the Archbishops of Canterbury (hence the name).
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The weatherboard pavilion is 19th century. The Vine Cricket Club must pay Sevenoaks Town Council a rent of 2 peppercorns per year - one for the ground and one for the pavilion, the archetypal peppercorn rent. They, in turn, must pay Lord Sackville (if asked) one cricket ball on the 21st July each year.
Sevenoaks Vine was a famous venue for major cricket matches in the 18th century and is notable for being the first place in England where cricket was played with three stumps rather than two. Its earliest known use was for Kent v Sussex on Friday 6 September 1734, a game which Kent won [1].
The world record for the highest (known) individual score was twice established at the Vine. First, Joseph Miller playing for Kent v Hampshire in August 1774 made 95 out of 240 and enabled Kent to win by an innings and 35 runs [2].
Then in June 1777 came one of the most remarkable innings of cricket's early history when James Aylward scored 167 for Hampshire v All-England. In a contemporary report, it is stated that: "Aylward went in at 5 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon, and was not out till after three on Friday". Hampshire won by an innings and 168 runs [2].
The last known use of the Vine for major cricket was the Kent v Sussex match in 1829.
The Vine was used by Kent CCC's Second XI for three Minor Counties Championship matches between 1952 and 1958 [3].
The ground is now the home venue of Sevenoaks Vine CC which plays in the Shepherd Neame Kent Cricket League First XI Premier Division.
In addition to the cricket Club, Sevenoaks Hockey Club also share the Vine Clubhouse, having done so since 1911.
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