Chepstow Cricket Club was formed in 1838, and they played their
inaugural match against Monmouth C.C. on August 25th. The club
became successful enough to secure fixtures in the Bristol area,
although this required a crossing of the Severn by ferry! Their
fixture list expanded during the 1850's following the opening of
the Gloucester to Cardiff railway line, which passed through
Chepstow.
By June 1881 the club's fixture list included Thornbury C.C., and
a large crowd was attracted to the home fixture as the Thornbury
side included W.G.Grace. But the Doctor was dismissed for a
duck, caught behind for a duck from his second ball. His
dismissal resulted in a variety of reactions - cheers came from
some of the locals, whilst others voiced their disapproval having
paid up to five shillings in admission money. But perhaps the
most startling came from the Doctor himself, who threw down his
bat in temper, left the ground and caught the next train home to
Bristol!
During these early years the club played in the spacious grounds
of Piercefield Park, the home of the Clay family, to the north of
the town where the racecourse currently exists. Around the turn
of the century, the cricket club moved to a ground called High
Beech, and with the support of the Clay family, a pavilion was
erected. The inter-war years saw mant members of the Clay family
turn out for the club, including J.C.Clay, whilst Louis Stedman
and Gordon Phillips, two of Monmouthshire's best amateurs, moved
to Chepstow from Newport. The High Beech wicket became one of
the best in the area, and quite fittingly the ground hosted
Monmouthshire's Minor County fixtures between 1926 and 1930.
In 1939 the High Beech ground was ploughed up as part of the "Dig
for Victory" campaig and Chepstow C.C. went temporarily out of
existence. In 1956 they were resurrected after a meeting at the
town's Beaufort Hotel, and following assistance from Chepstow
Urban District Council, the club secured the Bulwark Sport and
Social Club's ground in Mathern Ground, on the south-eastern side
of the town. A lot of ground improvements and building work took
place during the year, and in 1957 the ground was formally opened
by a match involving a Glamorgan XI selected by J.C.Clay.
The county staged annual club and ground fixtures at Chepstow
during the 1960's and in 1973 they played their inaugural Second
Eleven fixture at the ground. The 1970's was an important decade
for the Chepstow club as they entered the Gwent Pemier League in
1973, and as a result of their success in this competition, they
also entered the Three Counties League in 1982. Although
Glamorgan C.C.C. no longer play 2nd XI games at the Bulwark
ground, there is still a link with the Chepstow club as Adrian
Dale, the county's all-rounder was brought up in the town and
played, together with his father, with great success for the
club.
