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Welcome to the Website of Goring Manor Bowls Club (GMBC)
We are a young and friendly club (possibly the friendliest club in Worthing) playing at Field Place in Durrington. We are a mixed club and have a thriving men's and women's sections. We are large enough to have teams in the best leagues in the country yet not that big that we lose sight of the needs of every member in the club, whatever their ability.
Our outlook is threefold. We want to find the balance between
- developing a team that can live at the very top of the bowls tree in West Sussex, alongside
- providing competitive games against other clubs in the county for all of our members, and at the same time
- providing plenty of green time for less competitive members to come along and enjoy a session of bowls with other players in the club and friends and family.
It can be daunting to join a new club, especially if you are on your own. We promise to provide a mentor for each new member. That mentor will see you through the early weeks,giving you playing tips and also guiding you through club procedures and good green behaviour.
We have a men's team playing in Division 2 of the West Sussex Bowls league (the strongest league in the county) and a lady's team playing in the 'Top Club' competition. We also play in the Stracey Shield (a strong mixed, more localised league) and the Brodie Tray (another mixed league aimed as an introduction to competitive league play). In addition to league matches we have arranged almost 50 friendlies at home and away against other clubs for this coming season and have also set aside 33 days for play between members of the club.
Lawn bowls is a great way to exercise, meet people and make new friends especially if you are new to the area. We are particularly looking to attract new players to the game.
We also invite experienced players wishing to change clubs or are looking to return to the game to ring one of the numbers below.
If you are interested in coming along to try your hand at bowls, please contact Derek on 07979 603826. Alternatively email: club@goringmanorbc.co.uk, or send a message via the message box.
MESSAGE BOX
GORING MANOR BOWLS CLUB
(PLUS A BIT OF HISTORY)
Goring Manor Bowls Club is situated in Field Place at the roundabout at the end of the Strand and the Boulevard, Durrington.
Goring Manor Bowls Club has been said to be one of the friendliest clubs in Worthing. Other Bowls Clubs may question that but we at GMBC stand by that reputation and are proud of it.
We are a mixed club catering for men and women, be they old or young. We have an extensive programme of fixtures over the coming season. We have a Men's team in the second division of the West Sussex Bowls League. The Ladies take part in the Top Teams event in the county. We also have mixed teams in the local Stracey and Brodie leagues. In addition to those there are 27 friendly matches both home and away against other Bowls clubs in the area. And on top of all that there are 32 club events reserved for members to get together to have a roll up in a very relaxed atmosphere. Clearly, enough bowls events to meet everyone's needs.
But why the name Goring Manor Bowls Club? Before I answer that, I think that we should look at the name Field Place. Its history goes back to 1294 when the de la Felde family had land West of Heene. In early 1300, William atte Felde (whose family probably came over with William the Conquerer), built a manor house known as Goring Manor on this site which was on the eastern side of Goring parish.
This property passed through various hands over the centuries and it was the Henty family who remodelled the house in the Georgian style in 1808. The Hentys were wealthy farmers. In 1828/9, an agricultural depression persuaded the Henty family (and half of Tarring Village at the time, as they were Henty workers) to emigrate to Australia. There they forged successful farming and banking enterprises and founded the state of Victoria. Interestingly in 1876, the youngest Henty son, Francis built a house called Field Place on Henty Court 10500 miles away in Melbourne. The house still stands.
Since the Hentys left, Field Place has had various owners and was eventually purchased by Worthing Borough Council in 1956.
In 2014, the Council wanted to cut back on the amount of bowls facilities in the town. At the time there were two bowls clubs at Field Place - West Tarring BC and Field Place BC, which the Council wanted to move to Beach House Park in the middle of town. Neither club wanted to move. After much campaigning and discussion, it was agreed that a single club could remain at Field Place. The two clubs merged and chose Goring Manor Bowls Club as their new name, in recognition of the Manor House. That was in 2016 and here we remain.
Thankfully South Downs Leisure are now in charge of the Field Place complex and they are committed to provide Bowls and other sports facilities for the foreseeable future.
Which brings us back to today where South Downs Leisure administer Field Place Manor and Barns. And bowls is run by Goring Manor Bowls Club - possibly the friendliest club in Worthing….
If you are interested in having a go at bowls or are an existing bowler and want to change clubs or anyone who wants more information about joining GMBC, ring or text Derek King on 07979 603826 or Chris Wood 07516 521195 or complete the message box above.