Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club: playing the 'original' tennis in a Victorian court

Tucked away on Matthew Bank, between Jesmond and South Gosforth, is one of Newcastle's most unusual sporting treasures. Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club plays the game sometimes called the original tennis in a court built in 1894, and it is one of only 27 real tennis courts in the UK.

Real tennis should not be confused with the lawn variety. It is played indoors, with solid handmade balls rather like a cricket ball and wooden racquets with a very small sweet spot, and it combines elements of lawn tennis and squash. It is also one of the few sports where handicaps are used extensively, so players of all abilities can compete on equal terms.

The court has a fascinating history. It was built as the private court of the Noble family of Jesmond Dene House. Sir Andrew Noble, then at the height of his reputation as an innovator in ballistics and gunnery, had bought the house in 1871. The opening match, on 15 October 1894, was played between the reigning professional champion Charles Saunders and the amateur Sir Edward Grey, then MP for Berwick-upon-Tweed and later Foreign Secretary. The architectural historian Nikolaus Pevsner found the building's design "lively", with its buttresses and tall octagonal turrets.

The court remained in family use until 1914, and a club was formed in 1932 by old friends of the court. During the Second World War it was used for storage, and for many years afterwards it hosted badminton instead. A new chapter began on Sunday 10 May 1981, when the court was reopened for real tennis. The actor Sir Ralph Richardson even played there in 1980, telling The Journal: "I don't play well, my game is entirely private and very slow."

Today the club is keen to share the game. It offers introductory lessons and racquet hire, new members have games and opponents organised for them, and local schools and historical societies regularly visit for tours. Students from Newcastle, Northumbria and Durham universities play regularly, and juniors under 17 can join for free. Racket sport players, cricketers and golfers often find the timing comes naturally.

As the club puts it, the court is a rare historical and sporting asset for the North East. To arrange a tour or a trial session, visit the Jesmond Dene Real Tennis Club website.