Earliest Meeting: Tuesday 5th November 1689
Final Meeting: Tuesday 5th November 1689
The small Berkshire village of Hurley boasts a long history, being the location of Hurley Priory, a moated Benedictine Priory which was founded in 1086 as a cell of Westminster Abbey. It also lays claim to having the oldest Inn in Britain, for the Olde Bell Inn dates from 1135. The Priory was dissolved in 1536, although it's Church survived and is now the parish church serving the village. The main building of the former Priory became a mansion, which was the home of members of the Lovelace family, and survived intact until it was demolished in 1837. The village also staged horse races, notably on Tuesday 5th November 1689 when the principal race was the Berkshire £10 Plate, a selling race where each horse carried 10 stone, when the winner was put up for sale for £30. No further records exist of racing in the village. |
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 |
