The ground lies a quarter
of a mile south of St Cross which is the southernmost part of the City
of Winchester and is on the east side of the A333 road. The owners are
the trustees of St.Cross Hospital, the mediaeval foundation which, with
its ancient almshouses and chapel, lies just to the north and provides a
unique setting.
The ground has been used since 1872, first by
the Rifle Brigade and since 1885 by the Green Jackets Club who, since
its formation in the previous year, have leased the ground from the
trustees. The current lease expires in the year 2007. The ground,
originally described as "two meadows", covers two cricket
fields of approximately 6 acres each now know as "the field"
and "the other field".
The original wooden pavilion
dates from 1886 but was burned down and totally rebuilt and opened in
1970. The wooden luncheon pavilion in the adjoining field to the south
has been derelict, but is now in full use. It was erected in 1904 and
visitors enjoy the whiff of Edwardian splendour.
The Green
Jackets are the principal users and hire the ground to St.Cross Cricket
Club on a daily match basis. The club mainly play on the field to the
south. Among the players in the only Hampshire first-class match of 1875
was Reginald
Hargreaves, the husband of Alice Liddell, Alice in Wonderland.
