CROWN GREEN BOWLING

Crown green bowling has been played in the vicinity for over 250 years. Started by a group of local Gentry from the Mermaid Inn, now the Greswolde Hotel, in 1742 on land opposite the Church, between Kenilworth Road and Wilsons Road (now the site of the Berrow Homes). In 1892 play transferred to the White Swan (now Natwest Bank) the green being sited where the Village Hall / St. Johns Close now stands.

With the demolition of the White Swan in 1936 play continued at the rear of the Greswolde Arms adjacent the Lido (now the car park entrance to Knowle Junior School) and for a short spell on the croquet lawn of Knowle Hall, by kind permission of the Village Squire, the late Horace Everitt. Bowling also took place at the rear of the Wilsons Arms (now a car park for the Toby Carvery) and at the Avenue Club in Lady Byron Lane (still in existence I believe). In 1949 a new green was constructed on land between the Red Lion and Victoria Wines (now derelict and overgrown) where play continued until 1994.

1932 brought the formation of 'The Olde Knowle Ladies Bowling Club', now amalgamated with Ye Olde Knowle Bowling Club.

Following eviction from the Red Lion green, Ye Olde Knowle Bowling Club commenced a fund raising exercise and purchased a piece of land 1½ miles South West of Knowle, between Dorridge Village Hall and the Railway Inn, where a new purpose designed bowling green and Clubhouse have been constructed by the members at a cost of over £60,000.

Extracted from article written by Myffy Parsons.