The Shipton Moyne Recreation Ground

Prior to the Recreation Ground, Shipton Moyne had a cricket pitch outside of the village near to the Pumping Station on the Fosse Way, but in 1951 the Recreation Ground as is now was given to the Parish by Mr. H C Coriat, who at the time lived at Cranmore Farm. One reason for the gift was his concern for his employee’s children having somewhere safe to play. The condition of the gift was for the Parish to fence the area off, being part of a field.

Grateful villagers gave up their time and money to make it a safe playing area and the cricket pitch moved from the edge of the village to the new site. The first hut was a corrugated tin hut, with a tin bath and a stove for heating. Cricket was played on a regular basis and in 1965 the recreation ground boasted a tennis court, shelter, swings, climbing frame and sand pit.

Ron Casterton, who ran a youth club at the village school, got a football club running in the early 1960s for the youth of the village. With the help of Alan and Rose Rice, who organised dances and fund raisers to raise monies, and the resident trades people living in the village, a more substantial hut was built. The Shipton Moyne Football Club ran for many years and at its height ran two teams, ran exchanges with Belgium and supported the Cat and Custard after each game for a much-earned pint!

Mrs Lloyd who was Chairman of the Recreation Ground during the 1970s and lived at Shipton Cottage would each year write a letter, reporting on all that the Recreation Ground had achieved in the past year and take an envelope around to every resident in the village. Residents remember her saying, I don’t mind whether you give a shilling or half-a-crown, whatever you can afford is all very much appreciated.

Unfortunately, as with all clubs they have their ups and downs and without a new manager the club folded and the recreation ground for many years went underutilised. The then committee offered the site to Avonvale United who have used the ground on every Saturday during the season and now run teams in all age groups for boys and girls from U8s to U16s.

In the past, the Recreation ground has been used for Jubilee celebrations with fancy dress parades and for the Millenium was the venue for a donkey derby. To raise funds the Recreation Ground Committee ran events such as cricket matches, three-legged races, and bonfire parties. The bonfire parties were a great tradition in the village, enjoyed by all age groups, but with the coming of health and safety and the increasing costs to put the event on, sadly is no more.

Over the years, the monies raised has seen the playground updated on many occasions and a Boules pitch installed. Unfortunately, in 2025, following an inspection, the playground was considered unsafe and closed. But thanks once again to the very kind and generous donations of the residents of Shipton Moyne, a donation of £3.7k in memory of the late Martin Allies, along with a grant of £1k from Tesco Stronger Starts, and a further £1k from the Elizabeth Hodges Trust, a new playground was installed in 2026.  The new playground offers once again a safe place where children can play, use their imaginations and have fun. The Parish Council who is now responsible for the payment of insurance and grass cutting are extremely grateful to all who have supported and thank all who made this possible.