The village of Aldershot was transformed following the War Office purchase
of 25,000 acres of land in the area for military training in 1853. By
1874, a number of military cricket grounds for the use of the various
regiments had been laid out, including the present Services Ground,
which is on the corner of Fleet Road and Farnborough Road. The first
pavilion was built in 1887 and the present pavilion was opened in 1936
by Gen Hon Sir Francis Gathorne-Hardy.
