Historic Ipswich High School Cricket Pavilion officially reopened by rugby league legend and Woolverstone Hall alumnus Martin Offiah MBE

IHS_MartinOffiah_AJC6914_PhotoCredit_AnthonyCullen© featured

Ipswich High School celebrated the grand opening of its newly refurbished historic cricket pavilion at Woolverstone Hall – believed to be England’s oldest thatched cricket pavilion – with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony led by England and Great Britain rugby union and league superstar Martin Offiah MBE.

Martin Offiah, one of the greatest try-scorers in rugby league history and an alumnus of the school, returned to Woolverstone Hall on Senior Sports Day to open the restored pavilion. Nicknamed “Chariots” Offiah, he scored more than 500 career tries, represented Great Britain and England, and became one of the most recognisable and celebrated figures in British rugby league. His glittering career included major honours with clubs including Widnes and Wigan Warriors, and he was inducted into the Rugby League Hall of Fame in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the sport.

Martin Offiah, MBE, said: “It’s a real honour to be back at Woolverstone Hall and Ipswich High School to open this historic pavilion. Sport has been one of the biggest influences in my life, shaping who I am both on and off the field. Seeing this iconic building restored brings back so many great memories.”

“Woolverstone Hall is where my sporting ambitions were born. As a young boy playing for the 1st XI and having tea in this very pavilion, I could never have imagined that one day I would have a statue outside Wembley Stadium. This pavilion is a reminder that big dreams can start in small places. I hope it continues to inspire future generations to create their own memories, friendships and legacy through sport.”

Following the ribbon-cutting ceremony, Ipswich High School’s Senior Sports Day begun, bringing pupils, staff and families together for a celebration of sport in the grounds of Woolverstone Hall.

Headmaster, Dan Browning, said: “We are absolutely delighted to see this beautiful and historic pavilion restored and ready for a new generation of pupils, families and visiting teams to enjoy. It is a building with a remarkable story and an integral part of the sporting and social history of Woolverstone Hall. As the school prepares to celebrate its 150th anniversary, it feels especially fitting to have the pavilion restored and ready for the future.

“We are hugely grateful to everyone whose generosity, skill and hard work has made this refurbishment possible. To have Martin Offiah, one of our own alumni and one of the greatest names in rugby league, return to open the pavilion on Senior Sports Day will make the occasion even more special.”

The ceremony marked a proud new chapter for one of Woolverstone Hall’s most distinctive and much-loved sporting buildings. Woolverstone Hall itself is Grade I listed, while the pavilion is not part of that listing. However, the pavilion is of significant historic interest in its own right and is believed to be England’s oldest thatched cricket pavilion.

The cricket pavilion was built in 1894 by estate workers for John Berners, under the direction of Mr Charles Tebbit. The first recorded cricket match between Woolverstone Park v Colchester Garrison, took place that same year, beginning a sporting tradition that continued for decades through the Berners family’s celebrated annual Cricket Week.

During Cricket Week, Woolverstone Hall welcomed an extraordinary range of visiting players and teams, including national and county cricketers, England cricket players, Old Etonian “Ramblers” and divisions of the British Army. The England cricket team are understood to have played an annual game at Woolverstone Hall as part of the Cricket Week tradition, further cementing the estate’s place in local and national sporting history.

The pavilion has hosted hundreds of visiting sports teams and post-match teas, first for the Berners’ Cricket Week, later for Woolverstone Hall School, and now for Ipswich High School. In June 1895, the East Anglian Daily Times described it as “a permanent pavilion of picturesque design”, with rustic oak walls, rough-cast gable ends, a thatched roof and a verandah commanding “a splendid view of the field”.

Now approaching 130 years since it first opened, the pavilion has been carefully refurbished to preserve its heritage while creating a renewed facility for pupils, families, visiting teams and the wider school community. The timing is especially meaningful as Ipswich High School will soon celebrate its 150th anniversary, making the restoration of this integral part of the school’s history a fitting tribute to its past and a wonderful asset for its future.

The project has been made possible thanks to the generous support of Orwells Furniture, who completed the full kitchen fit; Belmont Electrical; the Woolverstone Hall Old Boys’ Association; the Ipswich High School Association, the school’s PTA; Adam Peaty Race Clinics; donations from parents and alumni through a GoFundMe campaign; and the dedicated work of the Ipswich High School estates team. A permanent board in the pavilion recognises donors who have given more than £200 towards the restoration fund.