Lord's Cricket Ground - St John's Wood Road, London, UK - Satellite Imagery Oddities on Waymarking.com

Lord's Cricket Ground is probably the most famous cricket ground in the world. England plays at least one test match here during each series and the ground is also the home to Middlesex County Cricket Club.

The Lord's website (visit link) gives a comprehensive history of which this is an extract:

Lord's moved to a new rural ground - previously the site of a duck pond - in St John's Wood in 1814. It remains MCC's home to this day.

The ground was soon a major success and attracted hordes of players and spectators - forcing Lord to build a Pavilion and refreshment stalls.

In 1805, the dukes and earls were keen to see their sons play cricket and so hired the ground for an Eton versus Harrow schools cricket match - the start of a world-famous, and on-going, tradition.

In 1825, when Thomas Lord was 70, he sold the ground to a Bank of England director, William Ward, for £5,000. Having provided the Marylebone Cricket Club with a ground for 38 years, Lord retired and then died seven years later - but his name lives on.

That same year (1825), the Pavilion - housing scorecards, records and trophies - was destroyed in a fire. Work commenced immediately on a replacement, which opened the following year.

At the time, the wicket was 'prepared' before a match by allowing sheep to come in and graze on the grass. However, the Club subsequently acquired its first mowing machine and appointed its first groundsman in 1864.

Tours of the ground are possible and the Lord's website (visit link) tells us:

On each tour a dedicated Guide will show you around one of the most famous sporting venues in the world.

Lasting approximately 1 hour 40 minutes the tour starts in the MCC Museum, home of the famous Ashes urn.

The museum brings the fascinating story of cricket to life. Paintings, photographs and artefacts, covering 400 years of cricket history, reveal the game's development from a rural pastime to a modern, increasingly international sport.

Precious exhibits include the Wisden Trophy and the tiny, delicate and irreplaceable Ashes urn.

The museum also boasts bats, balls and kit donated by great players including Mahela Jayawardene, Glenn McGrath, Rahul Dravid, Paul Collingwood and Shane Warne - as well as from past greats such as Victor Trumper, Jack Hobbs and Don Bradman.

As the tour goes on you will walk through the heart of the Pavilion to the famed Long Room, both a cricket-watching room and a cricket art gallery - with portraits of the game's best-known figures, including WG Grace.

The Long Room has a unique atmosphere, panoramic views of the pitch and is where players make their way to and from the 'hallowed turf'.

Almost any famous cricketer you can think of has made that long walk at least once in their career.

Other highlights include the players' Dressing Rooms with the renowned Lord's Honours Boards, providing a lasting reminder of exceptional batting and bowling performances in Lord's Tests.

Additional attractions at Lord's include the Tennis Court where Real Tennis, 'the game of kings' (famously enjoyed by King Henry VIII), is still played.

The Tour also gives visitors a chance to admire some outstanding architecture. As well as its great history, Lord's can also boast some of the most innovative modern architecture in London.

In addition to the famous Grand Stand and the award-winning Mound Stand, Lord's has the futuristic J.P. Morgan Media Centre, which was acclaimed in 2001 as one of 'The Fifty Best Buildings in Britain'.

Admire the unrivalled view from the J.P. Morgan Media Centre, enjoyed by our guests from Sky Sports and Test Match Special to The Daily Telegraph - and many more!