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Club History

The club changed it’s name to Downham Market Bowls Club in 2001, formally it was known as Downham Market Ex Servicemens Bowls Club.

The origins of the club started back in January 1922 when after a meeting in the Town Hall it was decided to form a Downham branch of the British Legion, by July of the same year they purchased the triangular portion of land on the corner of Church Road and Howdale Road for £215 in order to build a meeting place. The new British Legion Club building was opened in February 1923 by General Sir Charles Townsend and by October it had 500 branch members.

The clubs first bowls green was laid in October 1932 on land in Church Avenue (where the Church Rectory and Church Hall is now situated) owned by Mrs Cross of Tower House and was opened for play in 1933.

In January 1934 after consultation, members decided to change the name of the club to the Ex-Servicemen’s Club, as it had no official affiliation with the British Legion, nor wished to have. Plans for a new club building and bowling green in Paradise Road were being prepared in February 1936 with the bowls green being open for play in May 1936 with the Clubhouse opening in 1937.

The club has been affiliated to Norfolk EBA since 1950 when the size of the green was increased to satisfy Norfolk EBA rules, prior to this it was a federation club.

In January 2020 the club relocated to the Downham Mkt Conservatives bowls green but has kept it's name the Downham Market Bowls Club.

The Bowls Club Men’s section has 2 teams who compete in the Norfolk EBA Leagues and the Downham & District Triples Leagues, also have teams in the Middleton League & Albert Victor League.