NEHL - A recreation ground was established for the workers of Heworth Colliery around the 1880s, though may have been in use beforehand.

The first reference to a Heworth Colliery sporting club was in 1891, when High Heworth faced Wearmouth Colliery in an association football friendly at this ground. Wearmouth won the game 6-0. Another reference comes in 1897, when Heworth Colliery FC played the Washington Chemical Works team in a friendly.

A Heworth Colliery cricket team were formed by the 1920s, with a photograph showing the players from 1921.

The recreation ground was formally farmland, and was a long and narrow field with allotments on the south end. There was a small clubhouse/pavilion with limited facilities.