Moulsey Hurst

Moulsey Hurst is located in what is now West Molesey, Surrey on the south bank of the River Thames above Molesey Lock. It is one of England's oldest sporting venues and was used in the 18th and 19th centuries for cricket, prizefighting and other sports.The site can be reached from Hampton across the river by Hampton Ferry when it is running in the summer.Sporting venueWhen James VI and I became King of England in 1603, he brought his golf clubs with him and the first games of golf in England were played at Molesey, Westminster and Greenwich which were large open spaces adjacent to royal palaces.This venue is considered to be one of the oldest used for organised cricket, along with other historical cricket greens, such as Mitcham Cricket Green. The earliest known use of the site for cricket was in 1723 for a game between Surrey and London. One of cricket's most famous paintings is Cricket at Moulsey Hurst, by Richard Wilson in 1780. The painting is owned by MCC and on display at Lord's.

Tags: Museum