Earliest meeting: August 1720
Final meeting: Friday24th April 1929
Although there is some evidence, but no results, that a meeting was held as early as August 1720 in the Oxfordshire town of Banbury, the first recorded meeting where results were made available was a three day affair in August 1727, with regular meetings following on for each of the next 12 years. In 1739 the meeting received Royal patronage in the form of the Prince and Princess of Wales, Prince Frederick Louis and Princess Augusta of Saxe-Gotha. Ironically, straight after this meeting racing ceased in the town and did not return until 1829. Flat racing continued, but by 1839 National Hunt racing was also being staged in the town. The steeplechase course was situated between the villages of Hanwell and Banton, to the north west of Banbury. The final Flat race meeting to be held in the town was in 1846, but afterwards steeplechases were run at various venues in the vicinity of Banbury, notably at Mill Meadows, Nadkey, Crouch Hill and Claydon Hill. That final Flat meeting took place on Tuesday 4th August 1846 and closed a chapter in Banbury’s racing history, blighted towards the end by unruly behaviour and riots. The final meetings at Banbury were staged at Crouch Farm, about a mile outside the town centre heading towards Chipping Norton. It was the best of the many Banbury courses, 10 furlongs in circumference, with a natural viewing hill from Crouch Hill and a grandstand. The final National Hunt meeting was staged on Friday 24th April 1929.
Banbury Stakes, Banbury Steeplechase, Warden Hill Stakes, Banbury Cross Local Chase, Banbury Sweepstake
Baily’s Racing Register first provided detailed results from races held at Banbury in 1729, with the meeting being held in July and the result shown below.
Friday 29th July 1729
Banbury £40 Plate
1. Lady Thigh owned by Mr Bertie
2. Staghunter owned by Sir H Monnock
3. Miss Nesham owned by Mr Cole
Thursday 7th March 1839
Banbury 10 Sovereign Sweepstake
1. Little Bob owned by Mr Cockbill and ridden by Oliver
2. Needwood owned and ridden by Mr G Ball
3. Acrator owned and ridden by Mr C Simmond
Banbury 5 Sovereign Sweepstake
1. Pilot owned by Mr George and ridden by Barker
2. Jerry owned by Mr Payne and ridden by Oliver
3. Brandy Nun owned by Mr T Hartley
The final Flat race meeting to be held in the town was in 1846, but steeplechases were run at various venues in the vicinity of Banbury, notably at Mill Meadows, Nadkey, Crouch Hill and Claydon Hill. The final meetings at Banbury were staged at Crouch Farm about a mile outside the town centre, heading towards Chipping Norton. It was the best of the Banbury course, 10 furlongs in circumference, with a natural viewing hill from Crouch Hill and a grandstand. That final Flat meeting took place on Tuesday 4th August 1846.
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
The final National Hunt meeting was staged on 24th April 1929.
In a variety of villages in the vicinity of the town, but finishing at Crouch Hill Farm.
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
