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Athletics, Cricket

The Salt Grass Ground

54.911046, -1.439977

South Hylton

Opened:

c1880s

Closed:

c1900s

Redeveloped

Condition:

Home Teams/Clubs:

Last Updated:

30 Dec 2024

South Hylton Alma CC

HER Description

A cricket & athletics ground stood at this spot for a short period of time from around the 1880s to at the latest the 1910s.

It was known as the Salt Grass Ground, and was used by the South Hylton Alma Cricket Club in either the late 1880s or 1890s as per South Hylton Local History Society's "A History of South Hylton in Pictures". They had moved to the Fieldhouse Ground by the mid 1900s.

Our first insight into this site on the Ordnance Survey is on the 1890s plan, when an athletics track is shown next to the Ford Paper Works. It was a modest size with an irregular shaped track which was cut short on the south end by the lane leading to Claxheugh Rocks and the tramway. There was no infrastructure such as clubhouses or sheds, and seemingly had a short history.

It was demolished and cleared by 1913 as the Ordnance Survey features no trace. Little more is known of the site.

Thanks to @DaveFromUpNorth for the information regarding South Hylton Alma.

Ordnance Survey

Ordnance Survey, 1890s

'Sketches of The Coal Mines in Northumberland and Durham' T.H.Hair, published in 1844

The Athletics Track stood in the build up site in the right of this shot, where the rowing club is now situated. Taken in 2022.

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'Sketches of The Coal Mines in Northumberland and Durham' T.H.Hair, published in 1844

An aerial photograph from 1948, with the athletic ground within the perimeter behind the tip of the chimney. By this stage, there was absolutely no trace of the track.

Source: Historic England

Historic Environment Records

Durham/Northumberland: Keys to the Past

Tyne and Wear: Sitelines

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HER information as described above is reproduced under the basis the resource is free of charge for education use. It is not altered unless there are grammatical errors. 

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