Bicester Bowls Club was founded in 1862. Even in those days, it was becoming a young person's game.

Originally, Bicester Bowls Club played their games on the green behind the King's Head pub on London Road. In 1951, they relocated to their present location at The Garth, where an existing barn was converted into the present-day clubhouse. The official opening of the green took place that same year, with Bicester playing against the OBA. The president from Bicester at the time was W.F. Baughan.

 

Bicester Bowls Club's first OBA President, W.F. Baughan, took office in 1951, coinciding with the opening of the current green location.

 

The club had to wait 79 years before winning the County Fours again. This achievement came in 1995, with team members J. King, J. Nicholls, M. Workman, and P. Hooley.

 

Bicester Bowls Club waited several years for its next OBA President, which came in 2003 when M. Workman represented the club.

 

The club has also been well represented within the OWBA over the years, with three Presidents:

 

• Mrs. V.M. Plater in 1988

• Mrs. C. Douglas

• Mrs. R. Nash in 2003, marking the first time Bicester Bowls Club had both OWBA and OBA Presidents in the same year.

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Badge Details

 

The information below provides a possible explanation of the details in the Bicester Bowls Club badge.

A local historian has noted that over the centuries (dating back to the 11th century), the town of Bicester has been recorded under various names, including:

 

• Berencestra

• Bernecestre

• Burnecestre

• Bissiter

• Bisseter

• Bister

• Burcester

• Burgcestre

• Biciter

• Biscester

• Bicester

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During the 1940s and 1950s, a café called the Burne Ceaster Café was situated in Market Square. The name "Burne" means river or stream, while "Ceaster" or "Ceastre" refers to an encampment.

 

The name "Burgcestre" may have originated from St. Eadburg, the patron saint of the parish church (now called St. Edburg’s Church) and the priory, which was destroyed during Henry VIII’s dissolution of the monasteries. The priory served as the living quarters for Augustinian monks.

 

The presence of a monk on the badge is relevant because the priory contained a shrine that supposedly held the remains of St. Edburg. Pilgrims traveled from far and wide to visit, worship, and pray at the shrine.

 

It is believed that the phrase "Burne of Aster" on the badge may be a misspelling of "Burneceastre/Burneceaster."

 

The fox on the badge may be a reference to the fox hunts that historically started from Market Square.