[5] The first tournament tennis was played there on 29 August 1876, one year before the first Wimbledon Championships were held.
[6] Records show that the field consisted of six pairs, the final grouping included a Mr G. Tylecote and Miss P. Hodgson who beat Mr. and Mrs. Cobbe in the mixed doubles.
[18] This highly popular event was a regular stop on the senior worldwide tour for many years.
Former winners of the men's single's title has included; Alan Stedman, Nigel Sharpe, John Bromwich,[19] Erik Bjerre, Ignacy Tłoczyński, Peter Cawthorn, Czeslaw Spychala,[20] Mike Davies,[21] Bobby Wilson, Frew McMillan,[22] Keith Diepraam, Alan Mills[23] and Alberto Esplugas.
The previous winners of the women's singles title has included; Evelyn Blencowe, Ruth Pennington-Legh Winch, Phyllis Satterthwaite, Phoebe Holcroft Watson, Elsie Goldsack Pittman, Gem Hoahing,[24] Lorna Cornell,[25] Rita Bentley,[26] and Angela Mortimer.