Opened on 1st July 1937 the Club green was constructed on the site of a large, demolished house in Orchard Road, adjacent to the Priory Park and Winter Gardens. The house named “Gratenhurst” was originally built for Dr James Gully who was famed for the Malvern Water Cure Treatment. The land was subsequently donated by the Misses, Poulton and Greenslade, founders of Malvern Girls College, to the Malvern Urban District Council solely for recreation and specifically for a bowling green. With its picturesque setting, having the 11th century Priory and the Malvern Hills as background the club has become very popular in recent years. The green has excellent drainage properties due to the house foundations and rubble beneath.
The club became an important part of the Malvern social calendar during the WWII period, with the large influx of technical and military personnel supporting the war effort in Malvern, it provided an important outlet for leisure activities within the Priory Park environment.
Throughout the years, the club has been a strong ambassador for the game - maintaining its traditions and achieving a notable standing across the County with a string of bowling successes. The several years of amalgamation with the Malvern Police Club was a successful period of Club history. During its Jubilee year in 1987 the Club provided the County pairs champions, represented the Club and County at the National Championships and was the runner up in the County Champion of Champions.
In 1996 the Club benefited from a “Sport & Arts” grant, and with additional help from the Malvern Hills District Council the pavilion was refurbished, extending the changing rooms and function room. Much improvement was also made to the green. Much work has been undertaken on the green and clubhouse since 2016 and we now have a clubhouse and green to be very proud of.
Bowls has for a long time had a rather dated and staid reputation, but this is not so at Malvern Priory Bowling Club. There is a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere with much fun and laughter both in the clubhouse and on the green - supported by different social events during the year. Interest in the sport is growing again as the health benefits of the game are being realized. The club is now going through a regeneration with refurbishment of the clubhouse and a drive to encourage more people to enjoy the exercise and friendship of a game of bowls at one of the county’s most beautifully situated bowling greens. Membership has been increasing at a very healthy level each season.
The enthusiastic influx of people new to bowling are always welcomed and “thrown in” to play in the full programme of friendly matches each season. We have 5 coaches to provide guidance on the safety, techniques and tactics of the game.
Throughout the winter we run very successful short mat bowling sessions.
The Club also hosts Malvern U3A Bowling group who meet each Wednesday afternoon from May through to August.
The club has a successful social and fundraising programme that runs throughout the year, funds raised have enabled the green and clubhouse to be upgraded considerably in recent years.
