The Kia Oval

The Kia Oval stands on land that was once a market garden, but it became a home for sports in 1845 when the Duchy of Cornwall granted the lease for the site to the newly formed Surrey County Cricket Club. Before the stadium took its current shape, the ground was a cabbage patch, a humble beginning for a venue that would soon become one of the most significant arenas in sporting history. The club’s founding meeting took place at a nearby Victorian tavern called the Horns Tavern, a site that has since been replaced by a local convenience store and a job center. From these modest beginnings, the site transformed into a permanent fixture for international competition, anchored by the Members Pavilion which remains the traditional heart of the club today.