The Ashes Urn: History, dimensions, weight, materials, value, and more

Everything you need to know about one of the most prized possessions in cricket, the iconic Ashes Urn.

The History of the Urn

The urn was presented to former England captain Ivo Bligh following a friendly match between Australia and England in Sunbury during England's 1882/83 tour Down Under.

It came just a few months after Australia claimed their first ever win on English soil, with the presentation of the urn, which is believed to hold possession of the bail from the match that they beat England in, taking place ahead of the first Test Match.

Following the death of Bligh in 1927, the Ashes Urn was presented to Marylebone Cricket Club, with the urn now on display at Lord's cricket ground in London.

Of course, the urn is now synonymous with "The Ashes", and is the prize that the two nations (England and Australia) compete for in an always absorbing five match Test Series every two years.

Why is the Urn synonymous with the Ashes?

The miniature trophy takes its name from a mock obituary notice which appeared inside the Sporting Times, back in 1882, following England's Test Match defeat at the hands of Australia.

The notice read: "In Affectionate Remembrance of English Cricket which died at the Oval on 29th August, 1882. Deeply lamented by a large circle of sorrowing friends and acquaintances. R.I.P. N.B. - The body will be cremated and the ashes taken to Australia."

This was the first time the term "the ashes" had been mentioned, and little did anybody realise that the newspaper column would play such an instrumental role in the great England-Australia rivalry for decades to come.

What is the Urn made from?

The Ashes Urn is a red terracotta (a type of fired clay) artefact, which some believe was initially used as a perfume bottle.

How much does the Urn weigh?

The official weight of The Ashes Urn is currently unknown, although given the minuscule size of it, it's estimated that it comes in at around 125 grams.

What wording is on the Urn?

Two labels are pasted on The Ashes Urn, with the top label reading: "The Ashes".

The lower label is a verse cut out from Melbourne Punch magazine from February, 1883, saying:

When Ivo goes back with the urn, the urn;
Studds, Steel, Read and Tylecote return, return;
The welkin will ring loud,
The great crowd will feel proud,
Seeing Barlow and Bates with the urn, the urn;
And the rest coming home with the urn.
These names are some of the men in the English team.

Does the winning cricket team actually keep hold of the original Urn?

Given the fact that the original Ashes Urn is so delicate, the urn that cricket fans see the players holding aloft is actually a replica.

The replica version, which can also be purchased via the Lord's official website, is made by Susan Rose China, and was hand painted in Stoke-on-Trent.

It's believed that the replica Urn that is currently used is the third version of the original.

What is the value of the Urn?

The value of The Ashes Urn is unknown, but it's estimated that its worth would be in the hundreds of thousands.

In 1909, Australian captain Monty Noble was presented with a version of the Urn that became one of only three known examples of the trophy, and that version was auctioned in 2017 and sold for $80,600 (£40,000) in Australia.