Although Clitheroe Cricket Club was officially founded in 1862, there was at least one forerunner similarly named playing games in the 1850s. The present club was formed by the amalgamation of Clitheroe Alhambra and play­ers from the local Rifle Corps. The former club was called Alhambra because it played its games on a field behind the Wheatsheaf Inn on Whalley Road and close to the new church of St James'. This was the location each year of a visiting circus called the Alhambra.

The new club played its fixtures on land leased to the landlord of the Brownlow Arms. This was on Chatburn Road, not the present field, but the one immediately below it. After a year or two enough subscriptions had been gathered to move to the "next field‑ where a square had been laid. This has remained the home of the club ever since.

The club's fixture list in those early years was impressive and included Great Harwood, Settle, Leyland, Haslingden, Bacup, Rishton, Church, Whitefield Stand (Manchester), Cob Wall (Black. burn), Eagley, Whalley, Skipton, Keighley, Sabden, Gargrave, Egerton and Calder Vale. Games in those days started early and consisted of two innings each. Post‑match celebrations figured high on the list of priorities with visiting teams dining at the Brownlow Arms. The social composition of' those early teams appears to have been predominantly from the professional classes, with the mill owning Dewhursts contributing 3 players. It was expected that the more prosperous middle‑class members of the team would subsidise the poorer. Trips to Settle were a major event. A horse drawn waggonette had to be hired prior to the extension of the railway and players arrived back in Clitheroe the following morning having caroused the night away in Settle.

All cricket at this time was friendly, but nonetheless keenly fought. "Ringers" or "cracks" or "top notchers" were introduced whenever they were available and there are plenty of tales told of passionately partisan crowds. Clitheroe like many sides at the time embraced the Ribblesdale League somewhat reluctantly in 1892. Many traditionalists thought the idea of tournament cricket was "novel and crack‑brained‑ and would destroy the ethic of gentlemanly cricket. It was felt that the serious struggle for points in a league system would make teams the slaves of their supporters who would be more interested in success than fair play. As ever, monetary arguments won the day. The increase in gate‑money could not be ignored. It is interesting to note that many of the founders of the Club held reservations about the Ribblesdale League well into the 20th century. C.T. Mitchell, the first Secretary or Chairman (when interviewed in his eighties, he couldn't remember which) praised the excitement of the league in 1905, but went on to say,‑‑‑The dangers of it are obvious. Cricket is the one game which has yet remained clean and straight and honest and free from the evils that have gathered round so many other sports and pastimes; and it will be an ill day for the game when it is played for pecuniary advantage or any other motive than the pure love of it."

Clitheroe has, with the exception of the infamous 1902 season, been a member of the Ribblesdale League since its foundation. In this time the club has had three golden periods" . The first spans the turn of the century when the League Championship was lifted four times, 1899, 1901, 1904 and 1907. All these successes were dominated by T.D. Bourn's bowling. In the 1904 season he took 121 wickets at 5.2 runs each and was a prolific wicket taker throughout his career. Further to this, Bourn was a man universally respected as a player and clubman.

The second period of pre‑eminence was some fifty years later during the 1950s. Clitheroe won the league title in 1953, 1954 and 1958. This had much to do with the captaincy of Ted Hodgkinson, the brilliant batting of Wilf Davies and the performances of professional Allan Entwistle, to this day Clitheroe's longest serving professional with nine seasons. George Hudson, who was professional just before this period, set up the current record for wickets taken in a season in 1949 with 124 at an average of

7.1

Fortunes prospered again during the 1980s with Clitheroe winning the league title in 1986 and the Ramsbottom Cup in the same year as well as in 1987 and 1988. Junior sides also did remarkably well at this time with the 2nd Xl winning the Division I Championship in 1984 and 1986 and the Lawrenson Cup in 1983. The 3rd XI won their championship in 1981‑82 and 1984‑85.

Clitheroe as a club will be forever indebted to the Southworth family who purchased the Chatburn Road site and removed the threat of building development. John and Walter Southworth bought the land early in 1920 and bestowed it upon the Club. In the event of the Club's extinction the land reverts to the citizens of Clitheroe as a recreational open field. This family not only secured the Club's future but provided help and guidance for many years, as well as a number of fine players.

No sooner had the first pavilion been erected in 1862 in the form of a big tent than demand grew for bowls to be accommodated on the ground. A green was laid and another tent was erected. Two wooden pavilions have been constructed and demolished with the present facilities being completed in 1981. Tennis courts were laid in the 1920s and the game has flourished at Chatburn Road since. Netball as a facility was added in the early 1980s. Clitheroe Squash Club is also situated on the ground although independently run.