The quaint Northamptonshire villages of Great and Little Billing, together with Ecton Brook and Bellinge, form the civil parish of Billing. The massive Billing Aquadrome dominates the countryside around the 2 villages, but also acts as a valuable space to hold large events, especially the famous annual Northampton Balloon Festival. To the north the parish skirts Overstone Park, which is bounded on the south by the River Nene, and a tiny tributary of the river flows into the lake in Overstone Park. To the north-west of Great Billing is Billing Lings which was once made famous by Lord John Cavendish for 3 reasons; he lived in Billing Hall; he was Chancellor of the Exchequer from 1782 to 1783, he had his own private racecourse towards the end of the eighteenth century in the grounds of Billing Hall.
Lord John Cavendish, born on 22nd October 1732, was the youngest son of William Cavendish, the 3rd Duke of Devonshire, and his wife Catherine, daughter of John Hoskins. Cavendish was educated at Newcome's School in Hackney, and Peterhouse College, Cambridge. He became an MP and was promoted to the post of Chancellor in 1782, a post he held for just one year. He purchased Great Billing Hall, which dated back to the 12th century, from a descendant of George Earl of Egremont in 1776, and employed John Carr to rebuild and redesign the Hall in the Palladian style. He also installed his own private racecourse for the enjoyment of himself and his guests. Lord John Cavendish died on 18th December 1796, aged 64, with no heirs, so Lord John's brother, Lord Frederick Cavendish, sold Billing Hall in 1799 to Robert Cary Elwes, who lived at Roxby in Lincolnshire.
Robert Cary Elwes, born in Isleworth on 28th July 1772, married the Honourable Caroline Anderson-Pelham on 12th October 1797 at Brocklesby, Lincolnshire, and they had 4 children. Two years after the marriage Robert and his wife purchased Billing Hall and made it their family home. Robert enjoyed horse racing and hunting, delighting in the fact that the previous owner had installed his own private racecourse close by the Hall at Billing Lings. At his stud, on the estate, Robert Elwes bred two Epsom Derby winners.
I am grateful Jon Seddon and to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the 1824 map shown below.
Mameluke (SR 2030), a bay colt by Partisan out of Miss Sophia, with one white foot and a white blaze, was foaled in 1824 and bred by Robert Cary Elwes at his Billing Lings Stud. The colt did not race at two, but made a controversial start to his 3-year-old career. He contested the Riddlesworth Stakes at Newmarket in April 1827, but finished second, although the judge mistakenly awarded second place to his stable companion Glenartney, in the same Lord Jersey colours. Glenartney was awarded the race when the winner failed to make the weight, so Mameluke remained a maiden despite winning a valuable race. He next received 2 walk-overs, scaring off the opposition, and went to the Derby. At Epsom he was ridden by Jem Robinson, started at 9/1, and defeated the aforesaid Glenartney (5/1), both still in the ownership of Lord Jersey.
Cossack (SR 2013), a dark chestnut colt by Hetman Platoff out of Joannina, was foaled in 1844 and bred by Robert Cary Elwes at Billing Lings. John Day, famous trainer of the day, was a frequent visitor to Elwes' Billing Lings Stud, but was not impressed with the colt on first sight. Indeed, in his only run as a two-year-old he ran poorly, finishing only third, although it was behind the subsequent Oaks winner. He opened his three-year-old account by winning the Newmarket Stakes at 6/5 fav, and went to Epsom on the 19th May 1847 as the 5/1 second favourite. In the race he moved into the lead at the half-way stage, and ran on strongly to beat War Eagle by an easy length.
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
