Foreword by Rod Sheard
Introduction
1. Played in London
SPORTSCAPES
2. Open space
3. River Thames
4. Crystal Palace Park
5. Wembley Park
6. Lea Valley
7. Dulwich
8. Westway
SPORTS BUILDINGS
9. Pavillions
10. Grandstands
11. Membership clubs and institutes
12. Company sports clubs
13. Gymnasiums and drill halls
14. Billiard halls
15. Skateparks
16. Outdoor swimming pools
17. Indoor swimming pools
SPORTS
18. Bowls
19. Archery
20. Cricket
21. Golf
22. Football
23. Rugby
24. Real tennis
25. Fives
26. Rackets and squash
27. Lawn tennis
28. Athletics
29. Cycling
30. Greyhound racing
31. Speedway
32. Conclusions
Links
Credits
Index
Simon Inglis has written and contributed to numerous books on the history, architecture and heritage of sport. He is editor of the Played in Britain series.
Don't expect idly re-cycled facts, the author has done an awesome
research job that might come across as geeky, if it wasn't so
interesting. ... Really - a great read!
*Greyhound Star, August 2014 issue*
Inglis must be the best in the world at this sort of thing. ...
From bear gardens to skateparks. Played in London has the lot. ...
The sheer density of information and illustration means that,
despite its handsome layout, Inglis's epic is not the easiest of
books to navigate. But, like London itself, it is endless fun to
get lost in.
*The Guardian, Talking Sport, 29th August 2014*
... the research that has gone into this book is staggering. It is
a massive topic, for sure, but with a copy in my hands, now I
really understand. Played in London is the size and weight of a
medium telephone directory (remember those?), is beautifully laid
out in four column format and illustrated with nearly 1000
photographs, illustrations and maps. In short, it's a quality
object.
This is a wonderful book. Yes, it relates the history of sport as
it should. But it really succeeds in nailing the heritage in its
title: it invokes nostalgia really powerfully. London sports fans
will love this book, of that there is no doubt. Sports loving
architects will adore it. And I would go so far to say that even
historians without any interest in sports at all will enjoy Played
in London. It's that good.
*London Historians, September 2014*
The greatest sporting city on Earth? After 360 pages of Simon
Inglis's comprehensively detailed book, it is a safe bet that Rio
de Janeiro, Melbourne, Barcelona and any other pretenders will be
throwing in the towel and accepting London's pre-eminence.
... Part of the "Played in Britain" series, it leaves you wanting
even more of the wonderfully evocative old photography ...
*The Times, Saturday review, September 6 2014*
If books could receive medals, Played in London woudl be hogging
the centre of the podium. London book of the year so far.
*Londonist, 3 September 2014*
... a breathtaking accomplishment, full of terrific nuggests of
information ...
*The Great Wen*
'Putting it quite simply, this is a remarkable book... You don't
have to be a Londoner to enjoy Played in London, though that would
help. You don't even have to like sport, though if you do it will
add to your enjoyment considerably. More than anything else, this
is just a fascinating education... This book not only feels
special, it feels vital too. Some achievement.'
*Mail Online*
This fascinating exploration 'charting the heritage of a city at
play' looks at the spaces, buildings and sports that have shaped
London's landscape over a millennia, revealing all sorts of
intriguing historical facts along the way... this book, packed with
original photographs and detailed maps, is a cornucopia of great
stories and sporting events.
October 2014
*Choice*
Any popular culture enthusiasts, serious or casual, will gain from
Inglis' attention to the role of sport in the community and as an
essential part of everyday life.
*All Out Cricket*
In 'Played in London', Inglis, the writer of a number of highly
acclaimed books about football history and stadium architecture,
turns his attentions - over 360 pages of exhaustive research,
stunning design and truly fascinating insight - towards sport in
its wider social context, with specific regard to the English
capital.
*Forty-20*
An amazing feat of social history.
*New Statesman*
Simon Inglis is rightly renowned for his writing on the cultural
significance of stadia and other sporting buildings. Simon's
'Played in Britain' project has helped transform our understanding
of what these structures mean to their localities, and his latest
account of this relationship, 'Played in London' not only continues
the richness of Simon's explanation but is unarguably his finest
book in this extraordinary 'Played in...' series yet.
*Philosophy Football*
The epic breadth of sport and places covered with a forensic level
of research is something to marvel at. ... a beautiful
encyclopaedia of London's sporting and social history.
*Sport Magazine*
Sports historian Inglis's compendium of facts, figures, stories,
street signs and photos is the perfect present for sports loving
Londoners.
*Financial Times*
What makes this journey so enjoyable is Simon Inglis' witty,
sagacious and tremendously informative text... London's sporting
heritage could have no finer guardian and watch-keeper.
*Groundtastic, Winter 2014*
A sumptuous, meticulously researched book... also a cracking good
read.
*The Times*
This magnificent tome will stand as the masterwork authority on the
capital’s sporting heritage for many decades to come. We picked it
up with only a passing interest in sport. We put it down, 240,000
words later, with a newfound appreciation for the stadia, pitches
and sporting traditions of the capital... It’s not only a
publishing achievement of the highest order, but also an immensely
good read.
*Londonist.com,*
Our Book of the Year... Quite simply an exceptional work of social
and architectural history. Deeply researched, superbly written,
beautifully designed and printed with hundreds of photos,
illustrations and maps.
*London Historians*
This latest volume from Simon Inglis provides a fascinating
portrait of the sporting grounds in the 2012 Olympic City of
London. ... Magnificent illustrations, many of them reproduced for
the first time in many years, are complemented by a bright,
informative but never over powering text.
*Journal of Olympic History, December 2014*
This is a quite remarkable publication and I am not at all sure
that I - or any reviewer - can do it justice; you must see it for
yourself to discover the range, the depth and the detail, all of
which are soon evident. ... It cannot ve too highly
recommended.
*The Tennis Collector, January 2015*
Simon Inglis's writing is lucid, personal and thought provoking.
... the book is endlessly fascinating in its detail and depth. It
is almost impossible to do full justice to such a compendious
publication - there are hundreds of illustrations (photographs,
paintings, drawings, maps and more) which enhance and illuminate
the text.
*Journal of the Islington Archaeology & History Society, Summer
2015, Vol 5, No. 2*
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