Memorial Ground (Cornwall)
Penryn, Cornwall, England
Memorial Ground (Cornwall), Penryn, England — opened Not precisely confirmed, 42 rugby league games hosted, home of Penryn RFC (rugby union, founded 1872, nicknamed 'The Borough'), long-standing primary tenant; Cornwall RLFC (rugby league) since the club's formation in November 2021.
Sourcing caveat: Floodlights not confirmed either way. The ground's precise opening date, and the exact conflict/date behind its 'Memorial' naming, are not confirmed.
Ground facts
| Opened | Not precisely confirmed (Described by Cornwall RLFC's own website as 'Cornwall's oldest oval ball venue,' implying a 19th/early-20th century origin, but no specific opening year was found. Not to be confused with other 'Memorial Ground' venues used in rugby league elsewhere in England — this covers the Penryn, Cornwall ground specifically.) |
| Home club | Penryn RFC (rugby union, founded 1872, nicknamed 'The Borough'), long-standing primary tenant; Cornwall RLFC (rugby league) since the club's formation in November 2021 |
| Games hosted (rugby league, on record) | 42 |
| Top recorded crowd | 1,473 |
| Capacity | 4,000 (with 200 seats) |
| Surface | Grass, described as having banked areas |
| First rugby league match | Cornwall RLFC's first home match, week two of the 2022 season: a 60-14 loss to Midlands in front of a crowd of close to 1,500 (Harry Aaronson scored the club's first-ever home try) |
| Years used | 2022–2025 |
| Location | Penryn, Cornwall |
Name history
- Memorial Ground — named in honour of Penryn club members/players lost in conflict, most likely WWI given the naming convention of the era, though the exact conflict and date is not explicitly confirmed. No evidence of a different name.
Rugby league history
A well-established Cornish rugby ground, historically the home of Penryn RFC (rugby union), and since 2021 also the home venue of Cornwall RLFC, Cornwall's semi-professional rugby league representative club competing in English rugby league's lower tiers. Notable for a rare major event in 1973: the British & Irish Lions played a club side here — the first and only time the Lions have played at 'The Mem' — featuring Lions players Barry John, JPR Williams, and Derek Quinnell (a rugby union fixture). In rugby league terms, notable Cornwall RLFC results since 2021 include a league double over London Skolars (35-10 win, 2023), a 40-38 win over North Wales Crusaders after a second-half comeback, and a dramatic last-play 18-12 win over Rochdale Hornets in the final 2023 fixture (winning try scored by Liam Whitton).
Primary tenant is Penryn RFC (rugby union).
Sources
Data last verified: 11 August 2026.
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