Major Williams

The picturesque village ground of Four Elms nestles beneath the North Downs, one and a half miles from two of the most historic attractions in England, Sir Winston Churchill's house, Chartwell and Henry VIII’s wife, Anne Boleyn's home, Hever Castle.

The earliest records available indicate that the club was formed in 1868 and the original ground was on Lord Bramwells Fields, Holmwood, adjoining the cabbage field on the site that is now Boons Estate. It moved, via Four Elms Farm “near the nurses cottage”, to its present site in about 1890.

In 1893 the pavilion was erected and the same basic structure is there today, despite the ravages of a “doodle-bug” explosion towards the end of the war, which ripped the end out – appropriately that which is currently the bar, a site which has seen many demonstrations since it was opened in the centenary year of 1968!


From being tenants in the early years, the club became “owners” when the then owner, Major Williams, died and his widow gave it to the club “for as long as Cricket is played in the village”. It is now administered by a group of trustees.

We have produced a number of outstanding local Cricketers, the best remembered being the Cartwright brothers, Doddy and Frank, who graced our ground for over forty years. However, perhaps the greatest talent, although some have said with respect that Frank Cartwright was better, was a man who went on to become Kent County Captain and a test player for England, Chris Tavare. Both his brothers also played for the club.

We have had several players who have played for the club for over fifty years who are sadly no longer with us, but the memories of Henry Knight and Roy and Keith Dawes live on and trees and memorial seats are located around the ground.


Handing over of the ground 1956



MCB XI

We have featured as the backdrop for advertising campaigns, one for Vauxhall cars and another for a television series on the history of Great Britain.We have played host to an MCC side and a highly succesful and enjoyable celebrity game between Tom Graveney’s XI and Colin Milburn’s XI.

We played in the West Kent League becoming league champions in 1984. The club then became one of many sides to leave the West Kent league to initiate the Kent County Village League which we currently play in. We also take part in the National Village Knockout competition.


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