Club History

Cricket has been played in Barwick since the Victorian period. By the 1880s the village supported two clubs, “The Barwick Old Club” and the “The Barwick Rising Sun Club”. In 1888 a commentator suggested that “if the two cricket clubs at Barwick could unite and form one club, Barwick would then be second to no village in the West Riding of Yorkshire!”.

This obviously occurred as around the turn of the 20th century the present club was formed and played initially on a ground at “Wind” Mill Field off Leeds Road, the present site of housing on the Carrfields. It played as part of the Barkston Ash League. In 1922 the club moved onto Helm’s Field (also known as Chequers) off Elmwood Lane owned by Mark Helm of the Gascoigne Arm’s and Farm on Main Street. There was a wooden pavilion and concrete practice pitch. For a period in the 1920s they played in the Yorkshire Central League but by 1930 were back within the Barkston Ash fold.

During the Second World War (1939-45) the cricket club was suspended as men were called up to the Forces. Following the end of war, the Parish Council decided to provide playing fields in both Barwick and Scholes. In Barwick they purchased two fields along Chapel Lane containing just under 6.5 acres from Hindell Dairies Ltd and Mr Green in late 1948, in the area known locally as “The Flats”. In 1950 the Cricket Club agree to rent part of one of the fields for £8 per annum and the club moved onto their present site. The wooden pavilion was taken down and transported by horse to the new site. It is understood that cricket had been played on the Flats during the Victorian period and this move was therefore a full circle.

In 1954 the club “lost” as season as the ground was re-seeded and the outfield levelled. 1968 saw a move into the Wetherby and District Cricket League due to a lack of opposition in the Barkston Ash League.

The new present pavilion, complete with two changing rooms, showers, toilets, a clubhouse and bar was constructed in 1997, it was officially opened by Darren Gough of Yorkshire and England.

Dave Teal