Earliest meeting: Saturday 16th June 1832
Final meeting: Wednesday 7th June 1854
The small Essex market town of Coggeshall, on the River Blackwater, is situated midway between Braintree and Colchester. It is a bustling town today, holding regular markets which it has done since 1256, and also benefits from the tourism associated with Coggeshall Abbey. The Abbey was founded in 1140 but now serves as the parish church of St Nicholas. However, back in the middle of the 19th century races first took place on Saturday 16th June 1832 on meadowland and a clover field at nearby Little Tay on land owned by Mr George Everitt. The opening Sweepstake was won by Mr J Skingley’s Ultima, beating Termagant and Paganini. This was immediately followed by the Ladies Purse which went to Tom Tit. On Wednesday 25th May 1836 a large crowd witnessed a Sweepstake and Ladies Purse without incident, but in the principal Silver Cup race 2 horses went off at ‘killing pace when Little Dodge veered at right angles to the course and his jockey hit a tree, so ending the riding career of the jockey’. Races continued almost on an annual basis and a particularly well attended meeting took place on Thursday 19th May 1853. This meeting was organised by Mr W P Honywood, the squire of Marks Hall, and an immense crowd saw Black Spot beat Violet and Caudel in the Tally Ho Stakes. After racing dinner was served at both the White Hart and Bell Inn. The final meeting in the town took place on Wednesday 7th June 1854. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr W P Honywood, Mr George Everitt |
| Principal Races |
Coggeshall Silver Cup, Coggeshall Ladies Purse, Tally Ho Stakes |
Wednesday 13th June 1832
Coggeshall Silver Tankard
1. Termagant, aged horse owned by Mr Newman
2. Paganini, aged horse owned by Mr Martin
3. Passama, aged mare owned by Mr Kimber |
| The final meeting took place on Wednesday 7th June 1854. |
| Course today |
Situated about 1 ½ miles from town at Little Tay on meadowland and clover fields. |
| 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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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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