Earliest Meeting: Wednesday 1st May 1695
Final Meeting: Wednesday 24th August 1698
The South London town of Carshalton, in the valley of the River Wandle, is in the London Borough of Sutton some 10 miles south-west of Charing Cross. It has a rich history and was recorded in the 1086 Domesday Book as Aultone, when it had its own mill and many springs. It is a picturesque town with Carshalton Ponds in its centre, and on its outskirts are Carshalton Park and Oaks Park, which was laid out by the 12th Earl of Derby in the early 1770s, while the main house was built for Thomas Gosling in 1750, and later purchased by the Earl of Derby. He went on to name the fillies Classic, the Epsom Oaks, after his house when he initiated the race in 1779. Legend has it that an original 'Oaks' race ran through the Park from Barrow Hedges towards Banstead Downs, Epsom, some 4 miles away, for a £20 Plate, and while the majority of that original 4-mile course is covered by a road, the off-road part still exists today. The mention of Oaks Park seems appropriate, given that in the late 17th century Carshalton staged horse races each May Day and Bartholomew Day on 24th August. |
The earliest record of a race in the town was on Wednesday 1st May 1695 when a £20 Plate was contested. Thereafter, further meetings were held on Saturday 24th August 1695, and each May Day and Bartholomew Day until 1698. In 1698 the race contributors agreed to give an extra £20 so that meetings were not held just on May Day and Bartholomew Day, but an additional meeting on Tuesday 31st May 1698. The terms laid out for the additional race were that horses had to be stabled at contributors houses 14 days prior to the race, with owners paying 3 guineas for each entry, to be paid to the Clerk of the Course. Late entries were accepted, but required the owner to pay 5 guineas for each horse, mare or gelding. The final record of a meeting was on Wednesday 24th August 1698. |
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 |
