St Lawrence Ground/Spitfire Ground (Canterbury)

The St Lawrence Ground is a cricket ground in Canterbury, Kent and is the home of Kent County Cricket Club. It is one of the oldest grounds on which first-class cricket is played, having been in use since 1847. It is also notable as one of the few grounds used regularly for first-class cricket that have a tree within the boundary (the other is Pietermaritzburg Oval in South Africa).

General information

Arena capacity: 6,000 spectators

Address: St Lawrence, Old Dover Rd, Canterbury CT1 3NZ, UK

GPS coordinates for the navigator: 51.267°N 1.091°E

Year of construction: 1847

Seating plan of St Lawrence Ground

The ground includes five stands, four of which are named after famous Kent cricketers. These provide seating for over 2,500 spectators. Outdoor, uncovered seating provides another 3,400 seats.

The Frank Woolley Stand is a two-tier, cantilevered stand which cost almost £6,000 to built. It was one of the largest cantilevered stands in the world when opened, and was known as the Concrete Stand until being renamed to honour Frank Woolley in 1973.

The Colin Cowdrey Stand is a three-storey stand with a conference room, club shop and outside seating for members on the ground floor. The Cornwallis Room, an indoor viewing area with catering facilities named after Stanley Cornwallis who captained the side in the 1920s, is on the first floor and the Harris Room, a function room with outdoor seating used for hospitality purposes and named after Lord Harris, one of the club’s most important personalities, is on the second floor.

The Les Ames Stand, closest to the Nackington Road entrance, has no public seating. Since redevelopment it consists of a public bar on the ground-floor level with 16 hospitality boxes and the main scoreboard directly above. The scoreboard, which dates from the 1930s, is one of only two manual scoreboards still in use at any major county ground in England or Wales.

The indoor cricket school stands behind the Cowdrey Stand. An extension is named after Ames and Hopper Levett, another of Kent’s line of wicket-keepers. It includes indoor cricket nets and a sports hall as well as an outdoor astroturf surface and is the base for the Kent Cricket Academy which works with young players across the county. A sports and physiotherapy clinic operates from the same building and provides physiotherapy support to Kent’s players.

The Pavilion is a two-tiered building, originally housing a luncheon room, committee room and changing rooms on the ground floor with seating for spectators on the first-floor and veranda. It is named the Chiesman Pavilion after a major benefactor of the club in the 1960s and 70s.

The ground floor contains a large room modelled on the Long Room at Lord’s and the upper floor has seating for members. Mobile sightscreens run along the ground floor of the building as well as along the front of the Woolley Stand. The Annexe Stand was built adjacent to the Pavilion, and includes seating on two levels. The stand contains a press room for journalists on the first floor and the Pavilion includes a radio commentary room.

A set of offices adjacent to the Underwood and Knott Stand include a cafe on the ground floor, named after the ground’s famous lime tree. There is also an LCD scoreboard on the north-east corner of the ground.

How to get there?

The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence is located approximately a mile from the historic Cathedral City of Canterbury.

Directions by car

1. From the North. From M20 junction 7 turn left onto A249. At M2 junction 5 (Sittingbourne) bear right onto M2. At junction 7 (Boughton Street) turn right on to A2. From the A2 ignore the first exit for Canterbury (Harbledown, A2050) Continue on the A2 till the Bridge exit. Take the exit and then turn right travel 70 metres the take the first right with a sign directing to Canterbury. Follow the road on to the A2050 (not left and back onto to the A2). Continue on the Roman Road and at the Gate roundabout take the 3rd exit onto the Old Dover Road (B2068). Continue on Old Dover Road for 800 metres and the ground will be clearly visible on the left hand side.
2. From the South. From M20 junction 13 bear right onto A20. Follow this road to junction with A260. Bear left and continue to junction with A2 (north). Continue to junction with A2050 and then proceed as north.

National Rail

Canterbury East – 1 mile. Canterbury West – 1.5 miles. Passenger information – www.nationalrail.co.uk

Stagecoach East Kent

Buses to/from Folkestone via the Elham Valley (route 17) and Hythe (route 18) serve the bus stops immediately outside the Cricket Ground on Old Dover Road.

Buses to/from Deal (route 12), Dover (route 15), and Folkestone via Hawkinge (Stagecoach Gold 16) all serve the bus stops on New Dover Road (a short walk down St. Lawrence Road opposite the ground).

There are frequent buses direct to Canterbury City Centre from the bus stop on New Dover Road adjacent St. Lawrence Road.

For timetable information visit www.stagecoachbus.com/eastkent or call traveline.

Car Parking

There are two formal car parking options for visitors to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence Canterbury on match days.

Park & Ride, Old Dover Road, Canterbury, (CT1 3EJ)

Situated approximately a 10-15 minute walk from the ground or short bus ride.

The bus heading into town stops in front of the turnstiles on Old Dover Road.

For the return journey, you can either catch the bus from outside the ground and take the round trip into town and back out to the Park & Ride car park or catch the Park and Ride bus or any Stagecoach from the far side of New Dover Road near the St Lawrence Road junction and take them back to the Park and Ride site.

You can also catch Stagecoach buses 15, 16 and 17 with a valid Park and Ride ticket.

The bus heading into town stops in front of the main turnstiles on Old Dover Road.

For the return journey, you can catch the bus where you were dropped off and take the round trip into town and back out to the Park & Ride car park.

There will be additional departures for cricket spectators only from opposite the Ground to get back to the site.

Night Matches

The ground has arranged a special return bus that will operate from 9:45pm until 10:45pm (or earlier if the game finishes sooner).

On match days, there is no one-off parking at the ground for spectators, however, there are limited disabled/Blue Badge parking spaces held in reserve.

Parking is available on the ground on day four of Specsavers County Championship matches, subject to capacity.

Where to eat and sleep?

You are welcome to enjoy the surroundings on the banks or seats, with your own food. They also provide picnic tables, which are available to all.

Public options to purchase Food & Beverage include:

• The Lime Tree Café – ground floor of our Office, next to Underwood-Knott Stand. Offering freshly ground barista coffees, cakes, snacks, freshly-made sandwiches and Solley’s Ice Cream.
• Concessions Fast food vans and temporary bars spread around the ground. Food options include: Thai, Burgers, Paninis and Donuts.

Accommodations in Canterbury near St Lawrence Ground include Hampton, The Falstaff, Canterbury Cathedral Lodge, and more.

Accessibility

Viewing Areas: The Spitfire Ground is an open ground and you can circulate the whole ground, however this does involve a variety of terrains, grass, rough track (some uneven surfaces) and paved / tarmac sections. There is a dedicated wheelchair viewing area on the lower tier at the front of the Frank Woolley Stand.

Hearing Loop: There are loop hearing systems in all bar areas and in the main club office. On-line commentary is provided for each match by BBC Radio Kent (listening devices are not provided).

Car Parking Facilities on Arrival: Disabled/Blue Badge parking spaces are held in reserve. Parking is also available at the Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School in Old Dover Road. Entry to The Spitfire Ground, St Lawrence is via a pathway onto Nackington Road. There is a dedicated ‘golf cart’ operating to help disabled and mobility challenged visitors (parking is non-reservable). On arrival you will be greeted by our stewards, payment taken and then you will be directed to the designated parking area (this varies depending on match type and time of arrival).

Toilets: Accessible toilets are available in the Les Ames Stand, the Ames Levett Sports Centre, Woolley Stand, Chiesman Pavilion and Cowdrey Stand. If you need to gain access to these facilities prior to the ground opening, liaise with one of the stewards who will be able to assist.

History

Set in the heart of Canterbury, England, the Spitfire Ground St Lawrence has been the home of Kent County Cricket Club since 1847 – making it one of the oldest grounds on which first-class cricket is played on. A ground that has witnessed WG Grace score the first ever triple century in top-class cricket, and even Elton John playing the keys to ‘Tiny Dancer’.

It’s an open and historic arena that has evolved over the years to keep cricket and its spectators in its heart. From the construction of retirement flats on the northern side that are nothing short of idyllic, to the ‘death’ of the legendary Lime Tree that used to proudly sit within the boundary rope up until fatal high winds in 2005 led to its removal.