Inside luxury London estate that housed first-ever stadium of Premier League giants before being abandoned for 100 years

WHAT was once a historic football ground will soon be a luxury estate after over a century of abandonment.

And despite the rich history of the small ground in south east London it will soon be the home to many that may not know what took place on the ground beneath them.

Berkeley Group

Lombard Square is built on the site of a Premier League giant’s former stadium[/caption]

Berkeley Group

The luxury estate has filled the previously abandoned space[/caption]

Berkeley Group

Lombard Square will now offer luxury apartments and homes to Londoners[/caption]

Berkeley Group

Residents may not know the history behind the location of their new homes[/caption]

Lombard square in Plumstead will house an array of different homes when it is completed in 2025.

And it will also feature a huge 1.8 acre park for residents to use, but the ground that park is built on was once the home of a Premier League giant.

Back in 1888 a team named Royal Arsenal played their matches on the Manor Ground pitch which stood in the Plumstead location.

It was the first permanent home of the club who would later go on to drop the “Royal” and be known as they are today… Arsenal.

The Gunners moved into the Manor Ground just two years after they were established in 1886.

Back then there were no stands and instead the club used wagons from nearby Army bases to offer a place for spectators to watch games.

They left the stadium in 1890 before returning for a 20-year stint from 1893 to 1913 when new stands were put in for fans.

Arsenal played their last game in the stadium on April 26 1913 when they were held to a 1-1 draw by Middlesbrough.

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The ground at its peak held a maximum of 33,000 people and was demolished in 1913 following Arsenal’s move to Highbury.

It was their switch from south east London to North London that prompted the beginning of their fierce rivalry with Tottenham Hotspur.

Hulton Archive - Getty

Arsenal used to play their home games at the Manor Ground[/caption]

Wikipedia

The demolished site was left abandoned for over 100 years before its new development[/caption]