The links between the church and sport, wrestling in particular, were quite strong in the 19th century. Some of the best exponents of Cumberland and Westmorland style wrestling were clergymen. Others gave up a wrestling ‘career' to enter the church.

The Rev. Abraham Brown, an Anglican priest from Egremont, was said to ‘wrestle with bodies during the week, and with souls on Sundays!'. William Litt, author of ‘Wrestliana' and a fine wrestler, was at one time destined for holy orders. William Baldry, in his role as the village schoolmaster, was instrumental in establishing the Grasmere Cricket Team and the pitch at Pavement End. Whilst it was never very successful, going by available results, it brought together several sporting personalities who would later be so influential in the Sports development. The Reverend H.D. Rawnsley M.A., Canon of Carlisle Cathedral and vicar of Crosthwaite, who, whilst not known as an active participant, was a very active patron and strongly supportive of Grasmere Sports in the latter part of the 19th, and early part of the 20th centuries. There is no doubt that his influence with the clergy, together with that of the ‘Yellow Earl' - Lord Lonsdale (the 5th Earl), in inviting Northern dignitaries, politicians, Bishops, and even Royalty on one occasion, to the Sports, had much to do with their success around the turn of the 20th century. These contacts in high places, coupled with the organisingl skills of Joseph Fleming Green, a local slate quarry owner, who was the Honorary Secretary from day 1, plus the authority and experience of Colonel Ridehalgh, the first Chairman ‘captured' from the Ferry Inn Sports, helped to give Grasmere Sports a style which became the envy of similar Northern events. The invitation for Lord Lonsdale and others to become 'Patrons' added the icing to the cake and was guaranteed to attract large crowds of 10,000 or more spectators to what became the Blue Riband Sports event of Northern England.. Grasmere soon became THE place for athletes to compete, and THE place for ladies to parade their latest fashions. The 3 main sports attractions at Grasmere, have always been the Fell Race, or to give it it's correct name The Guide's Race, Cumberland and Westmorland style Wrestling, and the Hound Trails.

Thanks to the enthusiasm of those early motivators, The Annual Grasmere Lakeland Sports took shape, and by the early 1870's, were well enough established to attract the best athletes in the north. The prize money was not the best, but what was available, was spread as widely as possible amongst those taking part. It soon became more important to win a coveted Wrestling Belt at Grasmere than a large cash sum elsewhere. After the first recorded 'sports meeting' proper in 1852, the lack of records suggests that either local interest was not aroused, or the competition from established events such as The Ferry Sports in Windermere, was too great. But, due to the enthusiasm of Fleming Green, Baldry, and like minded sportsmen, all that soon changed, and since 1868 the Sports have been a regular annual event, unbroken except for the two periods of the First and Second World Wars.