Bodmin Town - Priory Park

Bodmin Town Football Club

Priory Road

Bodmin

Cornwall

PL31 2AE

Official Website

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Ground Number: 

Saturday 19th April 2025

Bodmin Town 0-3 Dobwalls

South West Peninsula West

BODMIN TOWN FC - A BRIEF HISTORY

The club was established in 1889 and in 1900 they merged with a team from the local barracks but retained their name. They won the Bodmin & District (Senior) League in 1923 and 1927 and were runners-up in 1948. In 1953, they joined the South Western League. They dropped down to the East Cornwall League in 1962 but returned to the SWL in 1969. In 1977 they finished as runners-up to Liskeard Athletic before winning the title in 1991, 1994 and 2006. The league was merged into the South West Peninsula in 2007 and Bodmin Town have won the title five times and finished as runners-up once. However, for whatever reason, they have never taken the option to make the step up to the Western Premier.

Bodmin Town's best FA Cup run came in 2011. They beat Falmouth Town 6-3 and won 2-1 at Barnstaple in the Preliminary Rounds. Tavistock were beaten 3-1 in the 1st Qualifying Round. They then overcame Yate Town in a home replay, winning 4-1 in a home replay after drawing the original game 1-1. Their run finally came to an end in the 3rd Qualifying Round. They drew 1-1 at home to Godalming Town but lost the replay 5-1. Three seasons were played in the FA Trophy without much success. The best FA Vase run came during the 2012/13 season. They beat Minehead, Brislington, Odd Down, Downton and Ashington before a 1-0 loss to Gornal Athletic in the 5th Round. Local honours include six SWP League Cups, the South Western League Cup in 1994, six Cornwall Senior Cups and two Cornwall Charity Cups. Several notable players have played for Bodmin Town, perhaps the most well-known is goalkeeper Kevin Miller who after 600 appearances in the Football League, wound down his career at the club.

The town of Bodmin is located in Mid-Cornwall and has a population of just under 15,000. It was formerly the county town of Cornwall until the Crown Courts moved to Truro which is also the administrative centre (before 1835 the county town was Launceston). The name of the town probably derives from the Cornish "Bod-meneghy", meaning "dwelling of or by the sanctuary of monks". Bodmin Jail, operational for over 150 years but now a semi-ruin, was built in the late 18th century, and was the first British prison to hold prisoners in separate cells (though often up to ten at a time) rather than communally. Over fifty prisoners condemned at the Bodmin Assize Court were hanged at the prison. Bodmin Rugby Club plays rugby union at Clifden Parc and competes in the Tribute Cornwall/Devon league, a level 8 league in the English rugby union system.

MY VISIT

Out of all of the grounds on the SWP Hop, Bodmin was the ground I was looking forward to visiting the most. I called in way back on Wednesday 14th September 2016 whilst on my way home from Truro City the previous night. It looked like a great ground and well worth a visit. The ground was also near the town but I failed to tick the Wetherspoons as I was driving. I still had a look around the town, though, before heading onto some other grounds for pictures, then to that night's game at Wellington in Somerset.

I found disappointing news on the morning of the game as the Wetherspoons had closed a few years ago. I was still looking forward to it, though. From the game at Nanpean, we headed the half hour to Bodmin. There was a minimum £5 card payment set by the greedy town council and only one working payment machine so a long queue formed of hoppers waiting to pay for their parking. It was also a faff with having to key in your registration and the app required registration. No change was given either, so the £2.70 parking was actually £3. I then checked out the bar but with no interesting cider, I headed into the ground. I joined the extremely slow-moving food queue with Colin. The guy was only cooking one order at a time before even asking what the next customer wanted. It was a shame the club had opted to bring in a substandard outside caterer rather than do their own food. The food was awful too, the sausage wasn't even cooked properly and was only cooked on one side so it went straight in the bin as I wasn't risking food poisoning. The chips were just OK. Easily the worst catering ever on a hop.

Bodmin Town were 13th and they'd won eight, drawn five and lost fifteen. They'd won two in a row and last time out they beat Launceston 3-2. Dobwalls were in 3rd and had won eighteen, drawn four and lost five. They were unbeaten in four and had won 2-0 at Callington Town in their last game. Dobwalls went ahead within 20 seconds, bundling home their first chance of the game. Both sides had chances that were kept out by excellent saves. On 40 minutes, it was 2-0, a shot blasted from just inside the area into the top corner. A third was headed home on 55 minutes. A rather one-sided game with poor Bodmin up against it on and off the field. They were down to three volunteers, a fact that might explain them calling in incompetent help for the catering. I hope more people come forward to help, as it's a shame to see a historic side struggling.

THE GROUND

PRIORY PARK is a pleasant venue which is well kept. There is just one area of cover, an attractive elevated stand holding around 250. Aside from that, it's open hard standing and grass banking. The outside bar is large but the selection of ciders wasn't the best. Sadly, the club suffers from a lack of volunteers so a hopeless outside caterer is brought in. There is a limited range of merchandise too. As ever, they are a friendly club. The parking is extensive but the council-owned owned who have dirty tricks up their sleeve to extract more money from you. It's not too bad if you have the right change. The town looked pleasant and with no reason to get food in the ground, I'd recommend exploring your options there.