A brief club history

Nunwick Cricket Club is situated in the grounds of Nunwick Hall, which is on the outskirts of the village of Great Salkeld, some five miles to the North East of Penrith in the Eden Valley.

The present presidents forefathers founded the club in the 1890’s when they acquired the estate. The team then was made up of estate workers (you had to play cricket before being employed). One of which went on to be a Professor at Manchester University and another to play for England. The first fixtures were to play the neighboring estate teams from Staffield and Eden hall.

The club was a founder member of the Eden Valley Cricket League in 1960, and has enjoyed uninterrupted membership ever since. Gaining a variety of honors over the period both as a team and as individuals.

The club only ran one adult side until a junior section was formed in 1999 to supplement the senior side and to provide much needed players. At first no junior teams were entered in their respective leagues. An under 16 team was the side to represent the club at junior level. In the 2007 season the club will boast one under 11 side, two under 13 teams and one under 15 team, who all compete in the Cumbria Junior Cricket League. As a consequence of the junior section the club has been able to run two senior sides in the Eden Valley Cricket League since 2005.

The club has a lease agreement with the estate for the use of ground and pavilion site, while owning the pavilion.

A major fund raising effort was undertaken in the late 1980’s to replace the then pavilion. This consisted of two wooden shells on a concrete base with no running water or sanitary facilities. In 1990 a new pavilion of brick construction was opened encompassing two changing rooms both with shower and toilet facilities. Between the two changing rooms is a clubroom with a tea bar and an adjacent ladies WC.

It is proposed over the coming months to install an artificial match wicket, relay the square, replace the current net system, install a disabled access to the pavilion and replace the furniture within the pavilion. In the longer term it is hoped to extend the pavilion to accommodate a disabled toilet and a third changing room. The immediate aspirations come with a price tag of in excess of £50k. A huge amount for a small club, hopefully the majority of this will be grant funded.