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Heritage Report by Phil Britt
Edgbaston’s hidden treasures!
Ask the majority of Warwickshire CCC members, “have
you been into the Visitor and Learning Centre and what do
you think of it?” and a blank look often follows, with, “what’s
that?” or “I haven’t had time yet!” being the usual response.
The Visitor and Learning Centre remains one of the great
hidden secrets to many people either visiting Edgbaston for
the first time, or when following their respective competing
teams or perhaps more importantly, to Warwickshire CCC
members in general.
Built as part of the Edgbaston development and opened
by HRH the Duke of Edinburgh, the Visitor and Learning
Centre tells the story of Warwickshire County Cricket Club,
its foundation, the early formative years, the great players
who have played for the club, the many highs and the
occasional lows on the field over the years and the great
International experiences that have all helped Edgbaston
evolve into becoming one of the most respected and loved
cricket grounds in the world.
Open every day of the year, a walk through the Visitor
and Learning Centre provides a chronological account of
the history of Edgbaston, supported by a huge number of
written and audio visual displays, backed up by relevant
memorabilia from players and events carefully collected and
displayed to complement the written word.
Located on the first floor of the new Pavilion immediately
above the main reception area, the Visitor and Learning
Centre also provides opportunities for youngsters of all
Key Stage levels, to use inter-active equipment in helping
understand the game of cricket, the techniques and the
laws whilst concurrently learning in a “friendly” environment.
Many schools are now incorporating the facility as a key
part of their curriculum project work based on Edgbaston.
Complementing this, is the more traditional Cricket
Museum located on the other side of the ground at the rear
of the Wyatt Stand.
Members and visitors are incredibly fortunate to have
so much floor space around the ground dedicated to
Warwickshire CCC heritage and the Cricket Museum is
brimming with original photographs, memorabilia, displays
and collections, some owned and some donated that
epitomise the ever evolving story of the Club and its history.
The Museum is only open during the lunch and tea
intervals at LVCC matches, the interval at Royal London
Cup games and before play on NatWest t20 evenings and
depends on the help of volunteers to keep it open and
supervised. During International matches and Finals Days
the Museum remains open all day.
Volunteers are always welcome and are essential to
keep the facility open during these hours, so if anyone feels
they could give up a lunchtime or a teatime now and then
to help, please contact Phil Britt the Museum Curator on
07881950718 or at
and he will be
pleased to hear from you.
Also the Museum sells second-hand books throughout
the summer to raise funds to purchase new memorabilia
and this is a well-supported and popular for visitors. During
the season, original letters from Frank Foster the captain of
the first Warwickshire Championship winning side in 1911
and W.G.Quaife 33,862 runs and 900 wickets for the club,
were won at auction and will be on display for the oncoming
2016 season.
If anyone has any cricket books, Wisdens or magazines
that they would like to donate, they can be left with
reception during the winter for Phil’s attention if he’s not on
site or brought in during next season.
The Heritage of the club is crucial to respect and protect
and no-one is keener to enthusiastically show visiting
players and officials these unique facilities, than Ian Bell
often does when he is at Edgbaston.
When you are next at the ground whether it be during
the winter months or not until next April, make sure you find
a few minutes to walk around one or other of these two
wonderful facilities, you won’t be disappointed!
