Holt Pound Oval
History of the site
This site has an amazing history. It is thought to have been a ceremonial site used by Druids and Romans. By 1784 it was in use as a cricket pitch, as Surrey’s original ‘Oval’, with many important Surrey games contested there, before Surrey moved to the current and more famous cricket Oval in London. Farnham, Rowledge, and Wrecclesham cricket clubs subsequently used the Holt Pound Oval, until after the First World War.
The land was awarded to the ‘Overseers of the Poor’ in 1857 – at the same time as the Blacknest Fields. The Holt Pound Oval is still held in charitable trust (The Blacknest Fields and Holt Pound Oval Charity Number 301743), with Binsted Parish Council as the Trustee.
The site is registered as a Village Green (VG 16), which limits development on the site. This site is used as open space and has two footpaths across it. Its poor drainage makes it unsuitable for use as a sports ground in its current condition. It has no parking facilities.
Re-imagining its future
In 2018, after a review of parish assets, the parish council resolved to set up an ‘Oval Working Group’. This Working Group was not taken forward until June 2022. Councillor Chris Meade is now Chairing this new Working Group, the remit of which is “to identify how the parish council’s land at Holt Pound Oval can be used to generate best value for the parish community, for BPC’s decision.”
Please contact the Parish Clerk (Email: clerk@binstedparishcouncil.org.uk) if you would like to be involved in this new Working Group.
