The ground has been used for cricket since the early 19th century. Essex County Cricket Club played their first game there on 15 and 16 June 1885 against Surrey; the game was lost by an innings. The captain of Essex, Charles Ernest Green, became convinced that the club's headquarters ground at Brentwood was too small and he drove the campaign to acquire the Leyton ground. In 1886, the club purchased the ground from its owner, the cricket-loving Lord Lyttelton, at a "favourable" price of £12,000. An appeal was launched for £3,500 for the construction of a pavilion, other necessary buildings and "general alterations". Lord Lyttelton was the first donor, contributing £200. Initially known as the "Lyttelton Ground", a local newspaper report claimed that the development of the site "gave unwonted loveliness to a district which but a short while since presented an appearance of the abomination of desolation", since the surrounding area had been sold off for the construction of new housing and a railway line. Although £2,900 had been raised by the appeal, the purchase of the Leyton Cricket Ground left the club in financial difficulty for decades. In 1921, the ground was sold to the Army Sports Central Board, relieving the club of a £10,000 mortgage. Leyton Cricket Ground remained the headquarters of Essex County Cricket Club until 1933, when the lease expired and the club moved to the County Cricket Ground, Chelmsford, for the 1934 season. Essex returned to play matches at Leyton in 1957, by then owned by the local council, and continued to play there until 1977. Essex are considering the possibility of playing some Twenty20 Cupgames back at the ground. The ground is now used as a sports ground by local schools and community groups. A local cricket club, Leyton County Cricket Club, uses the ground for first team games during the summer. The wooden pavilion building still stands and has been a Grade II listed building since 1999. The site is protected by Fields in Trust through a legal "Deed of Dedication" safeguarding the future of the space as public recreation land for future generations to enjoy.
1932: Herbert Sutcliffe and Percy Holmes of Yorkshire made a world recordfirst-class partnership for any wicket of 555 at Leyton. This remained the record for any wicket till 1945-6, and it was not until the 1976-7 season in Pakistan that it was beaten for the first wicket. It remains the record for any wicket made in England.
