History of field hockey a winter activity. They experimented with a ‘stick’ game, based loosely on the rules of association football. Teddington played the game on the smooth outfield of their cricket pitch and used a cricket ball, so allowing smooth and predictable motion. By 1874 they had begun to draw up rules for their game, including banning the raising of the stick above shoulder height and stipulating that a shot at goal must take place within the circle in front of it. An association was formed in 1875, which dissolved after seven years, but in 1886 the Hockey Association was formed by seven
Sawbridgeworth Cricket Club to the north of the town. The earliest recorded cricket match by a Sawbridgeworth side was two games against Saffron Walden in 1823, the Sawbridgeworth home game being played at Pishiobury Park. Other known early games were against Bishop's Stortford in 1836 and Hatfield Broad Oak in 1843. 'The Sawbridgeworth and High Wych Cricket Club' was formed by the Sawbridgeworth Vicar, Reverend A. D. Wilkins in 1862. The pitch in those far off days was granted by Mr Edwin Hurst on a 'field well situated between the Parish and the District'. Rules were drawn up by a committee of Clergymen