As the ground was originally agricultural land, with farm animals grazing on it in the early years of the Club’s existence, it would have been no surprise that the land drains existing at the time, had their limitations.  It is also reasonable to assume that the severe undulations, particularly on the side remote from the Common Land, were associated with previous agricultural drainage work carried out, prior to use of the field by the Cricket Club.

The Club’s early records, however, do not indicate any major problems of standing water, or match cancellations, although there is evidence to suggest that on occasions the field was not suitable for practice to take place. Perhaps the fact that Friday evening practice in the early part of the twentieth century, was limited to areas at least 50 yards from the match wicket area, may have been associated with relatively poor drainage. A reference in 1932 to a large quantity of stones being left on the pitch by contractors, suggests the likelihood of some drainage work having been carried out then, but the absence of any further information means that we don’t know whether this was on the ‘wicket area’ or the outfield. During the fifties also, there appears not to have been a major drainage problem.

In October 1951 drainage of the central area of the ground was considered and a cost estimate sought. Work was carried out on the lower side of the wicket (square) at a cost of £50 and a plan of the new drains produced, for future reference.

The Minutes reveal that the weather during the1954 Season had been the worst in memory, but that ‘its interference with matches had not been exceptional', therefore again suggesting that there had not been particularly serious problems with drainage.

In 1956 after another wet summer, consideration was given to ‘digging up the ground over the field drains and filling with ashes’.  However, in recognition of the fact that it would not be possible for a truck to get across the saturated Common Land, the idea was abandoned.

In July 1965 excavation of a drain on the lower side of the ground was expected to assist temporarily in drying the ground, and later in the year John Beaghan arranged to take some measurements of the amount of drainage ‘fall’.  Further investigations were assisted by a firm based in Burnley, indicating that by this time, the Club recognised that the problem of drainage needed addressing.  The planned work on the lower side of the ground had been completed by early 1966, and the machinery used was still available, with the possibility therefore of some further work being carried out on the pavilion side of the ground, but whether such additional work was actually carried out is not known.  Consideration was also given to carrying out ‘mole’ draining in specific locations.

In the late Summer of 1966, the team captains were requested to consult with playing members to ascertain how many would be prepared to assist in the carrying out of further drainage work, involving the installation of some new drains.  Progress reported in October indicates that playing members responded positively.  By February 1967 the new drainage areas had been ‘filled in’ and all that remained was levelling off.  At the 1967 AGM the chairman paid tribute to the efforts of John Beaghan who coordinated the installation of the new drains, and also thanked the many playing members who had been involved in what had been a major effort to improve the ground drainage.

By 1970, the Club’s plans for the major reconstruction of the ground, involving extensive excavations and movement of excavated material from one side of the ground to the other, to create a uniformly smooth playing area, inevitably brought ground drainage back into focus.  John Beaghan undertook to obtain a copy of the plan of existing drains, and prepare a new drainage plan, in readiness for inclusion in the Specification to be provided to potential contractors for the ground reconstruction project. 

Early in 1973, following the completion of the ground ‘levelling’ project, it was recognised that the drainage system was not working perfectly, and the contractors suggested that ‘spiking’ of the ground be undertaken. Also, the contractors were requested to investigate a drain which had been identified as having water lying above it, suggesting therefore a misalignment or some form of blockage.

At the end of the season, it was also decided that subsoiling should be carried out, as per the Specification, but due to adverse weather conditions in the Autumn of 1973, this had to be postponed until the Autumn of 1974.  The ‘subsoiling’ process serves to shatter the earth, thereby creating tiny fissures, through which the water is then able to flow.

David Dickinson approached the Ribble Valley Borough Council in 1980, drawing to their attention bad drainage conditions on the Common Land, the Club’s belief being that this was considered to be having a bad effect on the cricket ground. In 1981 poor ground conditions led to a lengthy discussion of how best to address the drainage problems. This resulted in a decision that the Club should become a member of the Sports Turf Research Institute. The ensuing detailed report from the Institute indicated that the likely cost of implementing their recommendations would be around £10 000. Their recommended spacing for slit draining was considered to be rather small and a wider spacing would be one way of reducing potential costs. It was agreed that some excavations should be made to establish the condition of the existing drains and that if they were found to be satisfactory, then as much money as possible should be spent on a selected strip of ground in an attempt to establish the optimum spacing for slit draining.

It transpired that the drains themselves were in satisfactory condition, but that the problem was associated with the difficulty of the water finding its way through the heavy clay, to reach the drains.  This prompted the Institute to suggest that it may be advantageous to have fewer deep drains and a rather larger number of shallower drains. The Club decided to carry out further work at the Ribchester Road end of the ground in the summer of 1982. A maximum expenditure of £2 500 was initially set for this work, but following confirmation of a £500 grant from the Ribble Valley Borough Council towards the costs, the figure was increased to £4 000, but the work actually carried out for £2 754

In 1985 further investigations were carried out at the Hazels end of the ground, where the contractor found a number of broken drains and expressed the view that the drains were too deep. The appropriate work was carried out at a cost of £1 280, close to the ‘bank’ of the ground.   

At the end of the 1990 Season, the need for extensive spiking of the ground was identified and a suggestion that a set of solid tines be purchased for aeration of the ‘square’.

The need for continually carrying out drainage work did not abate in the nineties.

By early 1994 a great deal of verti-drainage, involving creation of vertical holes by a spiking process, had been carried out by Club members.  A year later a quote of £23 000 was received for re-draining the ground (presumably the whole ground).  It’s safe to assume that this was immediately considered unaffordable.

A suggestion in 1998, that cutting a drainage channel of approximately 10 yards length, leading to a nearby tile drain, in particular areas of the ground prone to waterlogging, may be worth doing. This, carried out by a working party, did prove to be successful.

Varying further figures for the likely cost of a full re-drain appear in the Minutes.  In 1999 extensive further drainage work was carried out on the South and East sides of the ground, for a final cost of £8 620, but possibly excluding VAT. A Ribble Valley Borough Council grant of £3 000 was received towards this latest project together with an anonymous donation of an undisclosed amount.

No sooner had this been completed than plans were afoot for the next stage of drainage.  A quote of almost £8 000 resulted in the go-ahead being given for the work to be completed before the commencement of the 2000 Season.  The work was completed by mid-May with only verti-draining by the end of May.

Drainage issues persisted over the years, but the Club also persisted in taking continual action, resulting in an ever improving ground.