London 1 North


London 1 North was an English level 6, rugby union league for clubs in London and the south-east of England including sides from Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Cambridgeshire, Essex, north Greater London, Hertfordshire, Norfolk, Suffolk. When this division began in 1987 it was known as London 2 North, changing to its final name ahead of the 2009–10 season.
The fourteen teams played home and away matches from September through to April. The first placed team in the league won promotion to London & South East Premier while the league runner-up played the second placed team from London 1 South in a play-off for promotion. Relegated teams dropped to either London 2 North East or London 2 North West depending on the location of the club.
The Rugby Football Union reorganised the level six leagues for season 2022–23, with an increase from eight to twelve leagues, and a reduction of the teams in each from fourteen to twelve. The teams in this league were transferred to either Regional 2 Anglia, Regional 2 Thames or Regional 2 East Midlands.

2021–22 (final season)

The teams competing in 2021–22 achieved their places in the league based on performances in 2019–20, the 'previous season' column in the table below refers to that season not 2020–21.
Ten of the fourteen teams from 2021–22 were placed into one of the new level six leagues for 2022–23. Amersham & Chiltern, Belsize Park and Old Haberdashers were placed into Regional 2 Thames, while Brentwood, Chingford, Eton Manor, Norwich, Southend Saxons and Thurrock were placed into Regional 2 Anglia. Leighton Buzzard were placed into Regional 2 East Midlands. The top four teams in 2021–22, Colchester, Harpenden, Shelford and Sudbury, were promoted to the level five league Regional 1 South East. No teams were relegated to level seven.
TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, Buckinghamshire11th
Belsize ParkRegent's ParkBelsize Park, LondonLevel transfer from London 1 South
BrentwoodKing George's Playing Fields3,000Brentwood, Essex8th
ChingfordLea Valley Playing FieldsChingford, London10th
ColchesterRaven Park1,200Colchester, EssexRunners up
Eton ManorThe New WildernessWanstead, London5th
HarpendenRedbourn LaneHarpenden, Hertfordshire4th
Leighton BuzzardWright's MeadowLeighton Buzzard, BedfordshirePromoted from Midlands 2 East (South)
NorwichBeeston HyrneNorwich, NorfolkPromoted from London 2 North East
Old HaberdashersCroxdale RoadBorehamwood, Hertfordshire3rd
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, Cambridgeshire9th
Southend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 Southend-on-Sea, Essex6th
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk7th
ThurrockOakfieldGrays, EssexLevel transfer from London 1 South

2020–21

On 30 October 2020 the RFU announced that due to the coronavirus pandemic a decision had been taken to cancel Adult Competitive Leagues for the 2020–21 season meaning London 1 North was not contested.

Teams 2019–20

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, Buckinghamshire7th
BrentwoodKing George's Playing Fields3,000Brentwood, EssexRelegated from LSE Premier
ChingfordLea Valley Playing FieldsChingford, LondonRelegated from LSE Premier
ColchesterMill Road Playing FieldsColchester, EssexRunners up
Eton ManorThe New WildernessWanstead, London9th
HarpendenRedbourn LaneHarpenden, HertfordshirePromoted from London 2 NW
North WalshamNorwich Road1,600Scottow, Norfolk3rd
Old HaberdashersCroxdale RoadBorehamwood, Hertfordshire4th
Old PrioriansPerivaleGreenford, London8th
RuislipWest End RoadRuislip, London11th
ShelfordThe Davey Field2,000 Great Shelford, CambridgeshireRelegated from LSE Premier
Southend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 Southend-on-Sea, Essex6th
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, Suffolk10th
WoodfordHighamsWoodford, LondonPromoted from London 2 NE

Teams 2018–19

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, Buckinghamshire4th
ColchesterMill Road Playing FieldsColchester, Essex3rd
DissMackendersRoydon, Norfolk11th
Eton ManorThe New WildernessWanstead, London5th
FulleriansConingsby DriveWatford, Hertfordshire9th
H.A.C.Artillery GroundFinsbury, LondonPromoted from London 2 NW
LutonNewlands RoadLuton, BedfordshirePromoted from Midlands 2 East (South)
North WalshamNorwich Road1,600Scottow, Norfolk6th
Old HaberdashersCroxdale RoadBorehamwood, Hertfordshire7th
Old PrioriansPerivaleGreenford, London8th
Rochford HundredThe Rugby Park1,000Hawkwell, Rochford, EssexPromoted from London 2 NE
RuislipWest End RoadRuislip, London10th
Southend SaxonsWarners Park1,500 Southend-on-Sea, EssexRelegated from LSE Premier
SudburyWhittome FieldGreat Cornard, Sudbury, SuffolkPromoted from London 2 NE

Teams 2017–18

TeamGroundCapacityCity/AreaPrevious season
Amersham & ChilternWeedon LaneAmersham, BuckinghamshireRelegated from National 3 London & SE
BrentwoodKing George's Playing Fields3,000Brentwood, Essex3rd
ChingfordLea Valley Playing FieldsChingford, London2nd
ColchesterMill Road Playing FieldsColchester, EssexRelegated from National 3 London & SE
DissMackendersRoydon, NorfolkPromoted from London 2 North East
Eton ManorThe New WildernessWanstead, London5th
FulleriansConingsby DriveWatford, Hertfordshire11th
Letchworth Garden CityBaldock RoadLetchworth, Hertfordshire9th
North WalshamNorwich Road1,600Scottow, Norfolk4th
Old HaberdashersCroxdale RoadBorehamwood, HertfordshirePromoted from London 2 North West
Old PrioriansPerivaleGreenford, London10th
RuislipWest End RoadRuislip, London7th
Saffron WaldenChickney RoadHenham, Essex8th
South Woodham FerrersSaltcoats Playing FieldSouth Woodham Ferrers, EssexPromoted from London 2 North East

Teams 2016–17

Teams 2015–16

Amersham & Chiltern, the champions, are promoted to National League 3 London & SE for next season. There are only two relegated clubs as East Grinstead took voluntary relegation from the National League 3 London & SE to the Sussex Leagues.

Teams 2014–15

Teams 2013–14

Teams 2012–13

Teams 2011–12

Teams 2009–10

Original teams

When league rugby began in 1987 this division and contained the following teams:

London 1 North honours

London 2 North (1987–1993)

In the first season of the English rugby union league pyramid, sponsored by Courage, there was six, tier six leagues. The initial name was London 2 North and was for teams based in London and the counties of Hertfordshire, Middlesex, Essex, Cambridgeshire, Suffolk and Norfolk. There was eleven teams in the league and each team played one match against each of the other teams, giving each team five home matches and five away matches. The winning team was awarded two points, and there was one point for each team in a drawn match.
The original London 2 North was a tier 6 league with promotion to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West.

London 2 North (1993–1996)

At the end of the 1992–93 season the top six teams from London Division 1 and the top six from South West Division 1 were combined to create National 5 South. This meant that London 2 North dropped from a tier 6 league to a tier 7 league for the years that National 5 South was active. Promotion continued to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West.

London 2 North (1998–2009)

The cancellation of National 5 South at the end of the 1995–96 season meant that London 2 North reverted to being a tier 6 league. Promotion continued to London 1 and relegation to either London 3 North East or London 3 North West.

London 1 North

London 2 North was renamed to London 1 North from the 2009–10 season onward. It continued as a tier 6 league with promotion to National League 3 London & South East and relegation to London 2 North East and London 2 North West.

Promotion play-offs

Between 2000–01 season and 2019–20 there was a play-off between the runners-up of London 1 North and London 1 South for the third and final promotion place to London & South East Premier. The team with the superior league record had home advantage in the tie. At the end of the 2019–20 season the London 1 South teams have been the most successful with eleven wins to the London 1 North teams eight; and the home team has won promotion on thirteen occasions compared to the away teams six.

Number of league titles