Old Dover Road · Canterbury · Kent CT1 3NZ · Capacity approx 15,000
Kent Cricket: the ground that's ours
Every other venue on this site involves leaving the county. This one does not. Kent play at the St Lawrence Ground on the Old Dover Road in Canterbury, and a county day there is the gentlest, least hurried thing in English sport.
Which makes this the shortest journey we run to any sporting fixture. From Medway it is under an hour; from Ashford or Whitstable, half that. For once the transport is the easy part of the day.
County cricket is not an event, it's an afternoon
Almost nothing about a county day resembles the arena and stadium bookings on the rest of this site.
A few thousand people
There is no crush, no closure ring and no twenty-minute walk to a collection point.
Bring your own if you like
Much of the ground is open seating and banked grass. People settle in for the day.
Or none, if it rains
A championship day runs from eleven to six. Weather can remove all of it.
A different crowd entirely
Friday nights under lights are busier, louder and much closer to a normal event booking.
Across Kent to Canterbury
Our shortest journeys to any fixture, and the only ones that stay inside the county.
| Pick-up area | Distance | Journey |
|---|---|---|
| Canterbury & Whitstable | 3 miles | 10–20 min |
| Ashford & Tenterden | 16 miles | 25–40 min |
| Faversham & Sittingbourne | 17 miles | 25–40 min |
| Dover & Deal | 18 miles | 30–45 min |
| Rochester & Chatham | 30 miles | 40–60 min |
| Maidstone & Aylesford | 30 miles | 40–60 min |
| Gravesend & Northfleet | 44 miles | 55–80 min |
| Dartford & Bluewater | 51 miles | 65–90 min |
| Sevenoaks & Tonbridge | 54 miles | 70–95 min |
Canterbury Cricket Week
The one time of year when the ground fills properly and the booking needs planning.
| Occasion | What changes |
|---|---|
| Canterbury Cricket Week | Marquees, hospitality and a considerably larger crowd |
| T20 Blast Friday nights | Busy, loud, and finishing around 22:00 under lights |
| Visiting Test nations | Occasional tour matches that fill the ground |
| Finals and knockout ties | Larger crowds and more traffic on the Old Dover Road |
| Ordinary championship days | A few thousand people and no difficulty whatsoever |
A day at St Lawrence
The weather is the only real variable
A championship day can be six hours of cricket or it can be abandoned without a ball bowled, and you find out on the morning. We handle Canterbury bookings with that in mind: an open return by default, and a sensible cancellation arrangement if the day is washed out before it starts, agreed when you book rather than discussed afterwards. Nobody should pay in full for a day that did not happen.
T20 nights are the exception
A Friday evening Blast fixture is a different animal from a Tuesday championship day. The ground fills, the crowd is younger and louder, play finishes around ten under lights and the Old Dover Road gets busy afterwards. Those we treat much more like an ordinary event booking, with a set collection point and a planned exit.
Deckchairs, blankets and a cool box
Much of the ground is open seating and banked grass and people bring things to sit on and things to eat. Check the club's current ground regulations for what is permitted, particularly on alcohol, and then load accordingly. We have plenty of space for it; a car boot on the Old Dover Road is a worse plan than a vehicle with a driver.
It is the one fixture nobody has to drive to
That is the actual argument for booking transport to a county day, and it is a good one. An afternoon at the cricket in June with a drink in the sun is spoiled entirely by one person watching the clock and staying on the lemonade. From most of Kent this is a short and inexpensive journey, split between a few people it is barely worth thinking about.
Kent Cricket questions
The county ground, and the county weather.
Where do Kent play?
At the St Lawrence Ground, also known as the Spitfire Ground, on the Old Dover Road in Canterbury, CT1 3NZ.
What happens if the day is rained off?
We agree a sensible cancellation arrangement when you book, so a washed-out day before play starts is not charged in full. It is a normal part of a cricket booking rather than an argument.
How do returns work?
Open by default for championship days, because play can end at any time. For T20 evenings, which finish around ten under lights, a set collection time works fine.
Are T20 nights different?
Considerably. A Friday Blast fixture fills the ground with a younger, louder crowd, finishes around ten and makes the Old Dover Road busy afterwards. We plan those like a normal event.
Can we bring chairs and food?
Much of the ground is open seating and banked grass, and people do. Check the club's current ground regulations, particularly on alcohol, and we will carry whatever is permitted.
What is Canterbury Cricket Week?
The ground's showpiece, with marquees, hospitality and a much larger crowd than an ordinary day. Book well ahead for it.
How long does it take from Kent?
Ten to twenty minutes from Canterbury itself, under an hour from Medway, an hour and a half from the far west of the county.
Is the fare fixed?
Yes, agreed at booking, with the open return and rain arrangement set out in advance.
Kent venues and guides
Fixtures that never leave the county.