epw024935 ENGLAND (1928). The Oval Cricket Ground, Kennington, 1928

The Oval, 08/04/2014

A view of the famous old cricket ground before it was encased by the blocks of flats about a decade later, along both sides of the Kennington Oval. During the 1950s and 1960s, it was never the prettiest of grounds, but this writer preferred The Oval to Lord's for the viewing of both county and Test matches. It's worth comparing this image to the one taken just prior to the outbreak of war in 1939, to identify the changes in the urban surroundings referred to above.

Kennington Oval suffered badly during the five years' bombing of London and at one time it was turned into a prisoner-of-war cage ready for any Nazi parachutists or other enemy intruders. The 1946 edition of Wisden Cricketers' Almanack contains photographs of the ground when it looked more like a battlefield than the place where Len Hutton scored his record 364 in August 1938. However, the turf was soon restored and cricket was in full swing again during the '46 season.

What a great Photograph of the Oval, let's not forget how difficult it was to obtain such a still shot from the air

To the right of the picture are the famous gas holders, no longer there now. Opposite them to the left clearly visible is Archbishop Tenison's Grammar School, now a comprehensive.