Our History - The Uley and Owlpen Recreation Ground
On 20th February 1945 the first meeting of the Uley and Owlpen Welcome Home Fund Charity was held at Raglan House chaired by Mr Mills and attended by Mr Bruton, Mrs Capel, the Rev T C Deakin, the Rev P Griffiths, Dr Hosken, Mr Hoyle, Mrs Hoyle, Mr Hurcombe, Mr Kirby, Mr Murray-Browne and Mr Watson.
The original Objects of the Charity were to provide for “the reception and welfare of serving men and women on demobilising including the provision of a suitable Peace Memorial”.
An application had already been made to Gloucestershire County Council to register the charity under the War Charities Act 1940.
At the meeting it was confirmed that members wished to provide a playing field for the village and the two parishes as a Peace Memorial.
It was confirmed on 8th March that the words “and a Peace Memorial Field had been added to the title. The funds available were £1,575-1s-7d.
Finding suitable flat ground in a sloping valley was a challenge and eventualy Uley Parish Council applied for compulsory purchase powers and a Public Inquiry was held in May 1947. The application was refused. The minutes of a meeting of the Charity held in the Reading Room on 8th March 1945 Charity decided that the field below Bencombe Gables owned by Miss Lloyd-Baker and offered by her was not suitable as it was too far out of the village and too wet in winter. This field served as a cricket pitch in the summer months until a permanent ground was found. The committee also decided that at least 6 acres would be needed. Later the committee considered a field at Newbrook Farm ( on the right of the driveway) but the Ministry of Agriculture would release it. This field served as football ground until a permanent ground became available.
In 1951 the Charity was informed that the provision of a recreation ground was not covered by the Objects clause of the charity, even though the name had been changed. The returning service men and women for whom the funds were originally raised were offered a sum of money, a dinner or a campaign to create a playing field. They generously went for the third option.
On 15th February 1956 a field described as being part of the Raglan Way Housing Estate was purchased from Dursley RDC for £200 but it was only 1.763 acres. However it soon became clear that the site was not going to be large enough and the field was sold in April 1959 for £200.
In April 1957 there were negotiations with Miss Hill of Stonehouse to buy a field at Shadwell described as being part of Marsh Farm. After some bargaining, she agreed to sell, the field being 5.708 acres, for £1,000.
The cost of the project including the purchase and levelling the ground was estimated at £2,447. This was to be funded in part by the former the Welcome Home Fund and by fundraising.
The purchase was completed on 25th March 1959 and the Conveyance set up a new charity the Object of which is simply to manage the land as a recreation ground.
The question of access was a difficult and sometimes contentious one as at the time of the purchase the houses at Shadwell had not been built. It continued to be a problem through to the 1980s.
It had been hoped that a pavilion could be built using voluntary labour but progress was slow and in the 1961 it was agreed to ask Elliott Bros to complete the work.
In 1990 a service of dedication was held at the at the Recreation Ground when 13 trees were planted in memory of the 13 men of who were killed in World War 2.
Fund raising for a new pavilion started in 2000 initially with a weekly lottery which by 2012 had raised £50,000. This motivated a new fundraising initiative, including applying for grants and eventually £205,000 was raised.
The new pavilion was officially opened on Monday 5th May 2013 by Dame Gillian Lynne of Bencombe House.
The above history of the Playing Field was kindly provided by John Penley OBE