The Oval stands on land that was once part of Kennington Common, where cricket matches were played as early as the early 18th century. The first recorded match took place in June 1724, featuring London against Dartford. However, due to the common being used for public executions by the Surrey Assizes—serving as south London’s equivalent of Tyburn—cricket matches shifted to the Artillery Ground by the 1740s. In the mid-19th century, Kennington Common was enclosed as part of a royal family-sponsored redevelopment scheme.