Hadleigh Bowling Club

The original green used by Hadleigh Bowling Club was attached to the White Lion and was advertised as such in the Ipswich Journal  of June 1st 1754.  The year in which the club itself was founded is less clear as the club records have been lost, but it is known that it originally met in the Billiard Room of the White Lion.  The green was physically separated from the White Lion in 1973 when Magdalen Road was constructed. 

The link with the White Lion gradually disappeared with the Club initially taking on the maintenance of the green in 1906 and later renovating and extending the clubhouse.  The Club eventually purchased the green and clubhouse from the owners of the White Lion, Tolly Cobbold, in 1990 using members’ loans and local authority grants to provide the c£50k needed.   The Club remained on the same site until 2010 when it was sold to enable the building of the Magdalen Road Care Home.  The developers of the care home moved the Club north to Stone Street, where they laid an eight rink green and single storey pavilion. 

The Club moved to its new clubhouse and green in 2010 where it remains today.  The new pavilion was large enough to enable Short Mat Bowls to be introduced into the Club for the first time providing bowling facilities during the winter period when the green is closed for playing.