Earliest meeting: Thursday 4th September 1729
Final meeting: Saturday 30th March 1833
The Buckinghamshire market town of Amersham, some 43 kilometres north west of London, had its own racecourse in the early 1700s. The first occasion Amersham races were recorded was in 1729, when a two-day meeting was held in September, and they continued for each of the next five years until 1734. However, races were revived in the early 1800s, culminating in a final meeting under rules on Saturday 30th March 1833. That steeplechase meeting began in a field at the rear of the Pheasant Inn owned by Mr Allan, and continued down the Chalfont to Amersham road, running for a mile in a valley before finishing in a long meadow on the edge of Amersham. The winner was Mr Anderson’s grey horse Arbutus. Although this was the last time official meetings were held in the town, annual races administered by Captain T H T Drake did take place on Easter Monday towards the end of the 19th century at Shardeloes Park. These races included Galloway, pony and thoroughbred racing over hurdles. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Patrons |
Lord Pembroke, Captain T H T Drake |
| Principal races |
Amersham 25 Sovereigns Steeplechase |
Thursday 4th September 1729
Amersham £10 Purse
1. COUNTRY KATE, dun mare owned by Mr Rice 1 1
2. DIANA, chestnut mare owned by Captain Crowche 2 2
3. CUPID, chestnut horse owned by Mr Robinson 3 3
Friday 5th September 1729
Amersham £20 Purse
1. SWEETEST WHEN NAMED, chestnut mare owned by Mr Jones 1 1
2. GANDER, grey horse owned by Mr Woodman 2 2
3. TWIGG, white horse owned by Mr Tutings 3 3
4. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr Rich distanced |
Saturday 30th March 1833
Amersham 25 Sovereigns Steeplechase
1. Arbutus, grey horse owned by Mr Anderson
2. Jerry, grey gelding owned by Mr Kent
3. Antelope, bay gelding owned by Mr Fairlie
4. Peveril, bay gelding owned by Lord Pembroke
5. Nell Gwynne, bay mare owned by Mr Munroe
6. Zigzag, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Horn |
| The final meeting took place on Saturday 30th March 1833. |
| Course today |
Initially in fields at the rear of the Pheasant Inn and then at Shardeloes Park. |
| If you have photos, postcards, racecards. badges, newspaper cuttings or book references about the old course, or can provide a photo of how the ground on which the old racecourse stood looks today, then email johnwslusar@gmail.com |
Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-
London Illustrated News
Racing Illustrated 1895-1899
The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated
Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough
The Sporting Magazine
A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8
Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727 |
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ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3
652 pages
774 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0
352 pages
400 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7
180 pages
140 former courses |
ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4
264 pages
235 former courses |
| Copies of the above books are only available by emailing johnwslusar@gmail.com stating your requirements, method of payment (cheque payable to W.Slusar) or Bank transfer, and the address where the book(s) should be sent. |
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