Tag Archives: Hambledon

Broadhalfpenny Down Cricket Club, Hasselblad 500CM

This is the pavilion at Broadhalfpenny Down Cricket Club, also known as Hambledon Cricket Club. Hambledon is also know as The Cradle of Cricket due to its long association with the game dating back to the early 1700’s. It’s a lovely spot with some nice views over the South Downs. You can pick up the South Downs Way National Trail nearby as well. There’s also a lovely vineyard producing some World class sparkling wine. Post here and here.

The cricket club had been established by 1750 and by 1760 was acknowledged as the authority on the game and where new laws and techniques were developed and applied. These changes transformed the game of cricket from country pastime to national sport. The team at this time was a formidable one taking on and beating an all England team on 29 occasions. David Gower notes in his foreword to John Goldsmith’s Hambledon Cricket that it was the Hambledon team of the late 18th century that “raised cricket from a sport to an art.” Cricket became an international sport a hundred or so years later.

The second photo is the view towards Clanfield from the beer garden of The Bat and Ball pub opposite the cricket ground. It’s now a Fuller’s pub and like so many others in the area that are now operated by the brewery it has lost some of its individual character in terms of food and drink. Fuller’s pubs are ok, but they’re all pretty much the same.

Fuller’s have been slowly taking over the local pubs ever since their acquisition of George Gale and Co, LTD in 2006 which was loacted a few miles away in Horndean. Fuller’s eventually closed the brewery and moved production to their Chiswick brewery. I can remember the smell of the beer brewing when I lived at home with mum and dad. Gale’s made one of, if not the finest beer in The World – HSB or Horndean Special Bitter. Thankfully Fuller’s saw fit to continue to brew it although it’s probably not as good as it was. The day they stop is the day Fuller’s are dead to me. HSB is the only point to their existence as far as I’m concerned.

I photographed the pavilion in the same way on the Mamiya C220 in 2014 here and on the Nikon F100 here. Some more from this visit here.

Hasselblad 500CM / Fuji Superia X-TRA 400 / 80mm

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Hambledon Vineyard, Ferrania Solaris 100

Hambledon Vineyard again. Some Ferrania Solaris 100 on the FM2 and the new 50mm f/1.2

Nikon FM2 / Ferrania Solaris 100 [expired] / Nikkor 50mm f/1,2 ais

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Hambledon Vineyard, Fuji Provia 100F

We visited Hambledon Vineyard, makers of some of the World’s best sparkling wine.

We had a taste of the Classic Cuvee (Chardonnay 40%, Pinot Meunier 31% and Pinot Noir 29%) – a vibrant nose, quite fragrant with notes of apple and some elderflower. I found the palate quite creamy, again notes of apple and some pear, quite crisp as well. Acidity was very well balanced. A really superb sparkling wine, as good as any champagne I’ve tasted (and I’ve tasted quite a few) and much better than most.

I’ll buy a bottle next time I go home to Clanfield. We’re lucky to have this beautiful spot on out doorstep.

Some colour shifts with this Fuji Provia.

Nikon F801s / Fuji Provia 100F / Nikkor 50mm f/1.2 ais / Nikkor 24mm f/2.8 AF-D

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Broadhalfpenny Down Cricket Club, Fuji Pro 400H

Cricket is the World’s greatest game. The pillar upon which modern civilisation is built, it is the last bastion of democracy, equality, fair play and sportsmanship. Well, that’s what I think anyway. I really love cricket.

Taken upon the hallowed turf of Broadhalfpenny Down Cricket Club. (The Birthplace of Modern Cricket) This makes my village the birthplace of modern civilisation.

Mamiya C220 / Fujifilm Pro 400H

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