Earliest meeting: Friday 5th September 1729
Final meeting: Friday 1st November 1850
The small, busy market town of Chipping Campden is in Gloucestershire, situated in a beautiful part of the Cotswolds. It was mentioned in the Domesday Book in 1086, and later became a significant wool trading centre. Chipping meant ‘market place’ in Old English and a magnificent reminder of its past is the Market Hall in the centre of the town. John Cheny's early Racing Calendar provided the results from a meeting at 'Cambden (sic)' in September 1729, while Baily’s Racing Register first provided detailed results a year later from the meeting held on Friday 21st July 1730 when Lady Thigh got the better of Gander. There was certainly sufficient wealth around to sustain a race meeting in this place, with Woolstaplers Hall, Hidcote Manor and Kiftsgate all in the vicinity of the town. Four years later a two day meeting was staged on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd October 1734. On the Saturday the feature 15 Guineas Purse was won by the Duke of Ancaster’s Crab, while on day two the 30 Guineas Purse saw Surly Slouch beat Foxhunter. Meetings were intermittent for the next century, with the races of little significance. The last meeting took place on Friday 1st November 1850. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Duke of Ancaster, Mr Cole, Mr Bertie |
| Principal Races |
Cambden 40 Guineas Plate |
Friday 5th September 1729
'Cambden' £20 Purse
1. HURLOTHRUMBO, bay horse owned by Sir Edward Obrten 2 1
2. TRAVELLER, bay gelding owned by Mr Hopkins 1 2
3. BLACK BESS, black mare owned by Mr Isard distanced |
Friday 21st July 1730 |
Cambden 40 Guineas Plate
1. Lady Thigh owned by Mr Bertie
2. Gander owned by Mr Woodman |
Saturday 2nd to Sunday 3rd October 1734 |
Chipping Campden 15 Guineas Purse
1. Crab owned by The Duke of Ancaster
2. Morat owned by Mr Cragg
Chipping Campden 30 Guineas Purse
1. Surly Slouch owned by Mr Try
2. Foxhunter owned by Mr Cole |
Chipping Campden races held their last meeting on Friday 1st November 1850. |
| Course today |
In fields on the edge of the town surrounded by beautiful Cotswold countryside. |
| 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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