The Oval

Location: Kennington, London
Capacity: 25,500
Home team: Surrey County Cricket Club

Located in the South London Borough of Lambeth, The Oval is where it all begun. Opened in 1845, the first ever test match was played here in 1880 between England and Australia (which England won by 5 wickets), although it wasn’t until 1882 the famous ashes urn would be introduced. Traditionally, the final test match of any series in England is played here.

Owned by the Duchy of Cornwell, in the 1790s, The Oval was simply an oval road built around a market garden. When the market garden subsequently failed, the land was opened as a cricket ground. It has been home to Surrey County Cricket Club ever since, even though it has been outside the county boundaries for many years.

The ground itself is known for the adjacent gasometers on the east-side. Until recently, the pavilion and Vauxhall stand were the only significant structures surrounded by uncomfortable seating throughout the rest of the spectator facilities. In 2004, the venue underwent much needed redevelopment after a lack of investment and general feeling of decay. It now features a modern single four-tier grandstand, currently known as the OCS stand.

Adding to the stadium’s historical events other than cricket, it hosted England’s first international football match against Scotland in 1870, as well as the first FA Cup final in 1872, and also both England vs Wales rugby international in 1876 and England vs Scotland in 1877.