Southampton (Old) Bowling Green

Being the World’s Oldest Bowling Green – used continuously from circa 1299 – we have the ambition to add to our existing archives to chronicle our interesting history.

Our present archives include more than 1000 photographs – both original prints and digital scans – and a presently uncounted number of documents and newspaper cuttings. We also have hundreds of items of memorabilia that in themselves give an important insight into both the Bowling Green and the game itself. Included are more than half of the silver medals that have been awarded since 1776 to the winner of our annual “Knighthood” competition.

Unfortunately, although there has been great interest in our history not the same could be said about the way in which are archives were recorded and stored. In recent years this has changed and an Archives Working Group have been active in rectifying this mistake.