Earliest meeting: Monday 21st March 1837
Final meeting: Tuesday 26th March 1839
The Eccles Hunt was a foxhunting Group in Norfolk based around Eccles House which is now a school. The Eccles Hunt held their first meeting on Monday 21st March 1837 and such was its success that a follow-up meeting took place on Monday 9th April 1838. The ground was selected by Michael Beverley and consisted of three ploughed fields, a mile of low meadow and the remainder arable, in all covering 4 ½ miles and about 45 leaps. The course was around a natural elevated spot to enable thousands of spectators to witness the entire race which took 13 ¼ minutes to complete and was won by Mr Bignold’s Magic. After a successful meeting Mr F Mann hosted a dinner at the White Hart Inn at nearby Rockland. The final meeting took place on Tuesday 26th March 1839. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr F Mann, Mr Michael Beverley |
| Principal Races |
Eccles Hunt Steeplechase |
Monday 9th April 1838 |
Monday 9th April 1838
The Eccles Hunt Steeplechase over 4 ½ miles
1. Magic, aged horse owned by Mr Bignold
2. Jack Straw, aged horse owned by Mr Land
3. Chip, aged horse owned by Mr Turner
4. Flareup, aged horse owned by Mr Bramford
The entertainment continued after the races at the White Hart Inn at nearby Rockland. |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 26th March 1839. |
| Course today |
A 4 ½ mile course around a natural hill on the outskirts of Rockland. |
| 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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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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