Earliest meeting: Tuesday 1st August 1820 (20th August 1725 on Heathfield Nook Racecourse)
Final meeting: Thursday 18th June 1840
The Derbyshire spa town of Buxton lays claim to having the highest elevation of any market town in England; bordering Cheshire and Staffordshire, it is known as 'the gateway to the Peak District'. Although Buxton Races advertised race meetings in the latter part of the 18th century, more specifically in 1787, and on 27th and 28th August 1789, 9th and 10th September 1790, and 6th and 7th September 1791, no reports or results from those meetings were forthcoming, although they did take place at Heathfield Nook. However, races were held in the Fairfield Common area of the town from 1777-1786. Furthermore, a report was published in the Buxton Herald on Thursday 18th July 1872 which suggests that races were held on Heathfield Nook Raceground as early as 20th August 1725, with details stored on the Fairfield Common page. Further reports suggest that a meeting was held on nearby Heathfield Nook in 1804, although I can find no evidence of the results of such a meeting. The first meeting to be recorded in the town was held on Buxton Common (Fairfield) on Tuesday 1st August 1820 when the Buxton Silver Cup was won by Mr Rushton's Fanny My Dear. The next year a two day meeting was staged on Wednesday 25th and Thursday 26th July 1821, although it was not until 1827 that the results started to be included in Baily's Racing Register. At that July 1821 meeting the Duke of Devonshire generously sponsored the principal race which was won by Mr Denham's The Abbot. The achievements of the Cavalry were also marked by the North High Peak Yeomanry Cavalry Cup which went to Mr Lingard's Kitty of the Clyde. On the second day the Buxton Sweepstake saw Sir T Stanley's Cedric defeat The Abbot and Truth. The Duke and his home of Chatsworth always held prominent positions on the racecard. On Wednesday 23rd June 1824 the Chatsworth Stakes was won by Mr Beardsworth's Birmingham, while on Wednesday 11th June 1828 the Duke sponsored the Buxton Gold Cup which was captured by Lord Grosvenor with Mavrocordato. By the late 1830s the races were not filling and one newspaper commented ‘the card was not likely to keep company together even if the weather was tolerable’ and high on the peaks it was often not tolerable. The final two day meeting took place on Wednesday 17th and Thursday 18th June 1840 when the last Gold Cup went to Mr Copeland's King Cole.
Buxton 50 Guineas, sponsored by His Grace, The Duke of Devonshire over 2 miles
1. The Abbot, a chestnut colt owned by Mr Denham
2. Charlotte, a bay mare owned by Mr Ardern
3. Amelia, a bay filly owned by Lord Fitzwilliam
4. Primrose, a bay filly owned by Mr Frost
5. Fair Ellen, a bay mare owned by Mr Hall
The North High Peak Yeomanry Cavalry Cup
1. Kitty of the Clyde owned by Mr Lingard
Three others ran
Buxton Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Cedric, a chestnut colt owned by Sir T Stanley
2. The Abbot, a chestnut colt owned by Mr Denham
3. Truth, a bay horse owned by Sir G Sitwell
Chatsworth Stakes over 2 miles
1. Birmingham owned by Mr Beardsworth
2. The Agent owned by Mr Houldsworth
3. Ostrich owned by Mr Mytton
Fifty Pound Sweepstake over 2 miles 1 furlong sponsored by the Duke of Devonshire
1. Unnamed filly by Filho da Puta owned by Mr Houldsworth
2. Milo owned by Sir T Stanley
3. Unnamed colt by Filho da Puta owned by Mr Gisborne
Buxton Gold Cup over 2 miles and a distance sponsored by Duke of Devonshire
1. Mavrocordato owned by Lord Grosvenor
2. Euxton owned by Mr White
3. Miller of Mansfield owned by Mr Gleave
The Chatsworth Stakes over 2 miles
1. Miller of Mansfield owned by Mr Gleave
2. Hesperus owned by Mr O.Gore
Wednesday 16th June 1830
Buxton Gold Cup, given by the Duke of Devonshire, over 2 miles and the distance
1. INDEPENDENCE, brown colt owned by William Cavendish
2. TERROR, brown horse owned by Mr Houldsworth
3. PENRHOS, bay colt owned by Mr Vaughan
4. MAYFLY, chestnut horse owned by Sir Thomas M Stanley
Buxton 5 sovereign Sweepstake twice round and the distance
1. ROLLA, bay colt owned by Mr Palin
2. MEDORA, grey filly owned by Sir William Watkin Wynn
Thursday 17th June 1830
Noblemen & Gentlemen’s 50 sovereigns Subscription over 2 miles and the distance
1. TERROR, brown horse owned by Mr Houldsworth
2. SIR WALTER, chestnut colt owned by Sir William Watkin Wynn
Farmers Stakes over a mile and the distance
1. TOMMY TICKLER, brown horse owned by Mr Muirhead
2. CLINKER, brown gelding owned by Mr Greaves
3. TUPTON LASS, chestnut mare owned by Mr Denham
4. WHEEZY, chestnut horse owned by Mr Buxton
5. THE BELLE, grey filly owned by Mr Barlow
Buxton Town Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Unnamed gelding by Bedlamite owned by Mr Tomes and ridden by Lamb
2. Chance owned by Mr Griffin
3. Miss Charlotte owned by Mr Giffard
4. Unnamed bay gelding by Emillius owned by Lord Chesterfield
5. Aratus owned by Mr Robinson
6. Gerard Dow owned by Lord Westminster
Hunters’ Stakes over 2 miles and the distance
1. Jack owned by Captain Lamb
2. Unnamed bay mare by Paul Potter owned by Mr Cook
3. Radical owned by Mr Hobson
4. Brutina owned by Mr Althorpeednesday 24th June 1835
Buxton Gold Cup over 2 miles and the distance
1. Solon owned by Mr Robinson and ridden by Marlow
2. Lady Moore Carew owned by Mr Allanson
3. Abbas Mirza owned by Lord Westminster
Betting: 2/1 Intruder, 7/2 Ratcatcher, 4/1 Abbas Mirza, 6/1 Charlotte, 8/1 Solon
James Whyte’s History of the British Turf records the June 1839 races as:-
Duke of Devonshire Gold Cup;
Buxton Town Plate twice around the one mile course;
I am grateful to Ordnance Survey (© Crown Copyright) for permission to use the map shown below.
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In June 1843 the Buxton Herald informed the public that the old Buxton Race Stand was to be disposed of at the Eagle Inn, Buxton on Thursday 2nd July at 5pm. The Race Stand was well covered with valuable lead, and was erected in 1828 at an expense exceeding £1000, and the material would be exceedingly useful to anyone erecting their own building in the neighbourhood.
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:-
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
