The Dripping Pan
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| Full name | The Dripping Pan |
|---|---|
| Location | Mountfield Road, Lewes, East Sussex |
| Capacity | 3,000 (600) |
| Field size | 110 x 72 yards |
| Opened | 1885 |
| Tenants | |
| Lewes F.C. | |
The Dripping Pan is a football stadium in Lewes, England. It has been home to Lewes F.C. since their incarnation in 1885. It had previously been used by Lewes Priory Cricket Club, though the ground itself had been used by the people of Lewes as a centre for recreation as far back as records exist, including athletics.
The original purpose of the ground is unclear, although local legend suggests that it was part of a salt making industry run by monks from the adjacent Cluniac Lewes Priory, the ruins of which can still be seen from the ground. The spoil from the excavation forms the Mount behind the Clubhouse and both structures appear in the very earliest maps of Lewes in 1745.
Indeed, the ground may merely be the excavation pit for the Mount itself, which has been suggested as the original 'temporary' motte and bailey fortress constructed by William the Conqueror's close ally, William de Warenne, before he developed Lewes Castle on higher ground. An archaeological survey during construction of the new terrace failed to reveal any further insights into either the purpose or the age of the ground itself.
The earliest known use for cricket was 2nd Duke of Richmond's XI v Sir William Gage's XI on Wednesday, 5 August 1730. It is not clear if the game was started as the announcement states that "it was put off on account of Waymark, the Duke's man, being ill". Thomas Waymark was the outstanding player of the time and a lot of money will have been staked on his expected performance. Two earlier matches are known to have taken place in Lewes but the specific location in each case was not recorded. The first was towards the end of the 1728 season and was a proposed match between the 2nd Duke of Richmond's XI and Sir William Gage's XI. The second was in September 1729 when a combined Sussex, Surrey and Hampshire team played against Kent.
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