Wetherby Castlegarth Tennis Club

Club History 

1904 to present day

In 1893 an agreement was signed between Mr Montague of Ingmanthorpe Hall and the Wetherby District Council, relating to the land on which the club now stands.  This land was called "Low Field" or "Mill Field". The council agreed to pay one pound on the sixth of April each year in consideration of a sewer laid by them through this field.

In 1898, this meadow or pastureland consisting of 1.328 acres was let to a Mr Coates for £6 a year. In 1904, the field was purchased for £140 at an Auction Sale held in The Brunswick Hotel at Wetherby by; Mr Coates, Mr F Hoole, Mr J Hoole, Dr Hargreaves, Mr Heap and Mr Wilson. These six men formed themselves as trustees for a certain club called "The Castle Garth Lawn Tennis Club" and framed rules and regulations for the management of the club laying down that ‘in the event of the premises being no longer required, or for want of adequate support, it shall be lawful for the Trustees to sell the land or alter or extend the objects or nature of the said club or may change the title’. These arrangements were contained in a Trust Deed dated 1^st October 1904 which set out the legal framework for the club and which still applies today.   

Originally, four grass courts and a pavilion were situated along a charming length of the bank of the River Wharfe above the Mill Weir and Wetherby Bridge. The courts were laid over an acre of level sand loam, which allowed them to drain quickly after rain. Town’s water was available at the pavilion and there was easy access to the sewer for internal sanitation. Additional land was available for a ‘hard court’ or for other purposes without disturbing the existing grass courts.

In 1904 there is a record that Mr Noble of Paradise Nursery, Boston Spa, tendered an estimate to make a new croquet ground for the sum of £28, as at the time, Croquet was very popular.

In 1975 Castlegarth Lawn Tennis Club (as it was then known), reached an agreement with two members who constructed a clubhouse in return for a lease on  land on which to build two squash courts.

In 1998, with the aid of a lottery grant for £11,363, floodlighting was erectedon two courts, to enable members to play tennis into the evening.

The squash courts were purchased by Caddick Group plc in 2002, who demolished them and built their Head Office on the site, as well as reconstructing the clubhouse, adding an upper story to it, complete with a viewing balcony. The interior was fully modernised and a brand new members’ function room created. The work was completed in May 2005 and the new clubhouse was formally opened by Harry Gration on Saturday May 14^th 2005.

The installation of floodlights on the remaining three courts was completed in January 2010.  The project was funded by the club and a grant from the Lawn Tennis Association.  A formal switch-on of the new lights took place on Saturday 27^th February 2010, attended by Liz Wilson, president of Yorkshire LTA and the deputy mayor of Wetherby, Councillor Cindy Bentley.

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