Earliest meeting: Thursday 10th August 1732
Final meeting: Friday 11th August 1732
The historic Hertfordshire market town of Berkhampstead lies in the Bulbourne valley just 26 miles north west of London, and enjoys spectacular countryside nearby in the Chiltern Hills. The town certainly existed as early as 970, benefitting from its position on the trading route known as Akeman Street. It was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book, and was a place of great importance after the Battle of Hastings as it was the location of the Anglo-Saxon surrender after the Norman conquest. Berkhampstead Castle acted as a strong fortress, but was abandoned in 1495, while a century and a half later the town came to prominence again when a Berkhampstead born Colonel Daniel Axtell captained the Parliamentary Guard at the execution of King Charles I. Less than a century later the town held a race meeting on Tuesday 19th September 1732 which was recorded by John Cheny in his Historical List of that year. |
| This racecourse is NOT covered in any of the 4 Volumes of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Cox |
| Principal Races |
10 Guineas Galloway Plate |
Tuesday 19th September 1732
Berkhampstead 10 Guineas Galloway Plate
1. TRIPPING NANCY, brown mare owned by Mr Cox 1 1
2. FARMERS MARE, dun mare 2 2
2 ran |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 19th September 1732 |
| Course today |
No evidence of the previous existence of a racecourse |
| 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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