Last Update:
February 18, 2026
Hardenhuish Park is one of those non-league football grounds that you can quite easily miss on a drive through the local area. There aren’t an awful lot of signs pointing to it, and it’s tucked away in a leafy part of town surrounded by other sports pitches and facilities.
If you do manage to find your way to the football pitch, you will be greeted by a ground with a capacity of just 3,000. While that may sound relatively big, considering Chippenham Town play in the sixth tier of English football, there are only 300 seats.
Away fans are not usually segregated for matches at Hardenhuish Park. In the rare event that they are, then away fans are housed in the open terraced end. Around 450 fans can be accommodated in this area – all standing.
On most occasions, away fans can also freely visit the Blues Bar and Club Catering next to the Main Stand. Here, supporters can purchase a variety of items, including burgers, hot dogs, chips and pies.
On one side of the ground is the Main Stand. This small covered seated stand runs for around a third of the length of the pitch, straddling the halfway line. It contains four rows of seating, and above is a glassed area which houses the club bar. The Main Stand has also been extended recently with the addition of a small prefabricated covered seated area to each side.
Towards the open end of the ground, there are a few portacabins, two of which have been stacked on top of one another. One of these is used in a corporate/Directors area. On the other side of the Main Stand, there is a small portion of the open terrace.
Opposite is a strange affair. A small covered standing area runs down the complete length of the pitch. It comprises several joining sections that descend as the pitch slopes downwards towards the Bristol Road End. It also has a fair number of supporting pillars running across the front of it, which can obscure the view of those within it. The small team dugouts are located on this side, which is unusual considering that the Main Stand and team dressing rooms are located on the other side of the pitch.
At the Bristol Road End is a small prefabricated covered terrace which is only a few steps high. At the opposite end is a small open concrete terrace which comprises three steps and is set back a little from the playing action. Beyond one corner of the ground can be seen a large white dome, which is a multi-sport indoor facility. The ground has a set of eight floodlight pylons, four of which run down each side.
Pubs for away fans near Hardenhuish Park:
- Old Road Tavern – Old Road, SN15 1JA
- The Kingfisher – 307 Hunderdown Lane, SN14 0JL
- Prince of Wales – 8 Station Hill, SN15 1EG
Some of the best places to eat near Hardenhuish Park include:
- La Vecchia Orsa – 12 Market Pl, Chippenham SN15 3HJ
- The Garden – 15-17 The Bridge, Chippenham SN15 1HA
- The Pewsham – London Rd, Chippenham SN15 3RU
By car
Leave the M4 at Junction 17 and take the A350 towards Chippenham. After around two and a half miles, you will reach a roundabout (where there is a services area on one side). Take the first exit at the roundabout onto the B4158 towards the town centre.
At the next traffic light, turn right onto Hardenhuish Lane. At the bottom of Hardenhuish Lane, you will reach a double mini roundabout, where at the first roundabout you take the first exit onto Bristol Road (signposted Town Centre).
After a quarter of a mile, you will reach a small car park on your left (look out for the blue Chippenham Town FC welcome sign). Just after the car park, there is the entrance road to the Sports and Football Club.
By public transport
Chippenham Railway Station is located around three-quarters a mile away from Hardenhuish Park and takes about 15 minutes to walk. The station is served by trains from London Paddington, Bristol Temple Meads, Southampton and Cheltenham Spa.
Ticket prices at Chippenham Town:
Adult: £17
Senior: £13
Student: £13
16-17: £6
5-15: £4
Prior to the start of the 2025-26 season, the season ticket prices were as follows:
Adult: £355
Senior: £255
16-17: £95
5-15: £75
Bath City and Gloucester City are considered to be the biggest rivals of Chippenham Town.
Of the two, only Bath currently play in the National League South. Weston-super-Mare are another team in relatively close proximity to Chippenham.
Record Attendance
4,800 v Chippenham United
Western League, 1951
Average Attendance
2024-2025: 706 (National League South)
2023-2024: 681 (National League South)
2022-2023: 616 (National League South)
2021-2022: 574 (National League South)
2020-2021: 0 (Covid) (National League South)
2019-2020: 623 (National League South)
Why were you looking forward to this game and visiting the ground itself?
How easy was your journey/finding the ground/car parking?
What you did before the game pub/chippy etc, and were the home fans friendly?
What you thought on seeing the ground, first impressions of away end then other sides of the stadium?
Comment on the game itself, atmosphere, stewards, pies, facilities etc..
Comment on getting away from the ground after the game
Summary of overall thoughts of the day out
Chippenham Town v Maidenhead United
FA Cup Fourth Qualifying Round
Saturday 20th October 2018, 2.30pm
Gareth Taylor (Neutral)
Chippenham Town v Eastbourne Borough
National League South
Saturday 31st March 2018, 3pm
Brian Scott (Neutral fan)
Chippenham Town v Bath City
National League South
Saturday 23rd December 2017, 3pm
Myles Munsey (Groundhopper)
Reasons for visit
With the Christmas shopping done and work over for another year I had a blank day as it were in the run up to the festive season. For a number of personal reasons I had not been to a game for 15 months. It seemed an ideal time to resume. I’m not enamoured of ‘big money’ football any more so I thought a West Country local derby at Level 6 in the League Pyramid, within reasonable travelling distance would suit.
Chippenham are another Hungerford – a little known club performing adequately if not spectacularly at this level. And it is always nice to be the first to post a review of a club on this website.
Getting there
A straightforward train journey from Newbury changing at Reading landed me at Chippenham at 13.45. The connection time at Reading allowed me to buy a packed lunch and consume it on the train – very civilised.
First impressions
Hardenhuish Park, as this guide suggests, is set in an attractive area amid sports fields. I liked the fact that it was set back from the main road thus keeping it away from the traffic and giving it a slightly secluded feel. The outside of the stadium was welcoming with those lovely old turnstile booths and a quaint device on wheels serving club merchandise. In fact, I struggled to find anything modern at this ground. Did I like that!
Inside could be found a real hotchpotch of stands and terraces with good old-fashioned corrugated iron. You can’t beat it. Of note was the presence of three catering outlets (one temporary) which I did not use but did note the prices at the Blue Birds by the main entrance.
Burger £3 Double burger £4.50 Cheeseburger £3.50 Double Cheeseburger £5 Hot dog £3.50 Chips £3 Sausage and chips £4.50 Cheese buttie £2.50
Bordering the ground were a number of lofty trees mainly willow and pine. Again these gave the ground a nice feel.
Before the game
Arriving early as is my routine, there was time plenty of time to take photos inside and out for the guide. Surprisingly the time went quickly – it doesn’t always and though I bought a programme I didn’t have much chance to read it. It was a double header to save time and money so was printed for the Hungerford game as well. I did note that it was of a very high standard and stuffed full of facts and figures.
A Packed Bristol End
The game
I was anticipating a good game and that’s what the crowd got. The attendance of 1,502 (impressive for this level) was boosted by a strong away following who sang merrily. Some tuneful and some rather colourful and not exactly appropriate to the season of goodwill. I watched the first half from the North side and the second half from the Open End and had a good view of the action throughout. It was dry but dull, with a cold breeze.
The first goal to the visitors on 11 minutes and scored by Tom Smith (a Swindon Town loanee) stemmed from a misplaced pass eagerly intercepted and fired with aplomb into the net. The second on 31 was a hotly disputed penalty after an intricate move had laid the home defence bare. Contact there may have been but the player fouled jumped like a scalded rabbit. Jack Compton’s penalty was nearly saved by the home keeper’s left arm, but trickled into the corner. 2-0 to the Romans at the interval. In the second half Bath kept pressing and were rewarded on 67 minutes when that man Smith again was cleverly put in by Opi Edwards and he made no mistake. 3-0.
Getting away
It was an easy 15 minute stroll back to Chippenham station in time for the 17.25 back to Reading.
Overall thoughts
After a long time away from the game I was pleased to be back and my faith in the game has to some extent been restored. I will however stick to non-league and/or Scotland for the time-being thanks all the same. I certainly enjoyed the day amongst friendly people at a pleasant location with no issues.