Local historian: The history of sport in Exmouth

Exmouth is fortunate to offer the townspeople a huge array of sports to participate in or watch, often in fabulous surroundings or with magnificent views.

Possibly the oldest club in the town is Exmouth Cricket Club, which was established in 1843 and plays its games at what is arguably one of the most beautiful settings in which to play or watch this noble game. The club’s 1st X1 will once again be playing Premier League cricket in 2023.

Exmouth Rugby Football Club was founded in 1873, and was instrumental in establishing and promoting the game in Devon. Its early games were played at the cricket ground before eventually moving to their present ground by King George V playing fields. The “Cockles” play in the South Western Premier League. Withycombe Rugby Football Club was founded in 1924 and play in Tribute Counties 2 Devon League.

Exmouth Town Football Club was established in 1933, which also started out by playing at the cricket ground before moving to their present ground at Southern Road in 1964. They have recently gained promotion to the Southern League Division 1 South.

Exmouth Swimming and Life Saving Society was formed in 1893 and used to hold its events in the old docks before moving to the salt water pool on the seafront. Since 1985, they have been based at the Exmouth Leisure Centre.

Bowls seems have featured prominently in Exmouth which has two flourishing clubs.

Phear Park can trace its origins back to the early 1890s, when it was part of Exmouth Archery, Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club.

In 1909, Sir John Phear of Marpool Hall gave the lower part of the park to the people of Exmouth for recreational purposes. The council decided to lay a bowling green where the present skateboarding park is.

The club formally came into being in 1911 and Samuel Hutton was its first captain. He was the uncle of Sir Len Hutton, the famous English cricketer. Following the council taking over ownership of Marpool Hall in 1935, they built tennis courts on the site of the hall’s lawn and the bowls club relocated to the front of the hall.

In 1950, the council demolished the hall and the club relocated to its new pavilion on its present site. Madeira Bowls Club was established in 1925 in Madeira Walk with a Ladies section followed in 1934.

In 1981, in a joint project with Phear Park the independent Exmouth Indoor Bowls Club was formed and in 1994 the club approached Madeira with a view to establishing just one club. In 1997, its assets were transferred to Madeira.

Early in the 2000s the famous “Octagon” pavilion, which dated from the 1870s, was fast becoming dangerous and the club launched a massive fundraising exercise to replace it. This resulted in the Magnolia Room which transformed the club’s facilities and enabled the club to continue to be the success it is to this day.

The Exe Hockey Club came about as a merger between Exeter and Exmouth around 1963, and they play their games at Exmouth Community College.

The Exe Sailing Club was founded in 1912, and hosts dinghy open meetings and national championships, and, in 2018, hosted the prestigious Prince of Wales Cup.

The Exe Power Boat Club is based at Exmouth Marina and competes at all levels of the sport.

With its long association with the sea the town would not be complete without a Sea Angling Association. This started in 1921, when they were granted a permit from the Dock Company to fish from the pier. The club still flourishes today.

Why not pay a visit to Exmouth Museum to find out more? You can also e-mail your historian at [email protected].

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Ed: This article is from Mike Menhenitt's Walking Through Exmouth History series. Use the links below to read previous articles:

Part One: The beginnings of Exmouth, from the Stone Age to the Bronze Age

Part Two: Exmouth in the Iron Age - and the arrival of the Celts

Part Three: Roman coins and Viking raids

Part Four: The impact of the Norman conquest, and how places in Exmouth got their names

Part Five: How Exmouth became a fashionable seaside resort in the 18th century

Part Six: How the docks brought prosperity to Exmouth - and then became the marina

Part Seven: The coming of the railway

Part Eight: Turnpikes, toll houses and inns in Exmouth

Part Nine: Jobs your ancestors had in the town through the ages