Earliest Meeting: Thursday 23rd April 1635
Final Meeting: Friday 22nd September 1682
Hyde Park, in Central London, is the largest Grade I listed park in the capital and is divided by the Serpentine and the Long Water lakes. The Park was established in 1536 during the reign of Henry VIII when he took over land previously owned by Westminster Abbey and used it as his hunting ground. Although the park was not officially opened to the public until 1637, horse racing was staged in the Park two years before that date. |
| This racecourse is NOT covered in any of the 4 Volumes of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
On Thursday 23rd April 1635, St George's Day, a Match for 100 pounds was run between John Prettyman of Horninghold, Leicester, and John Havers of Stockerstone, Leicester on Hyde Park. Each horse carried 8 1/2 st, Prettyman rode a grey while Havers rode a brown horse. The race was run between 9 and 10 o'clock, starting at Upper Lodge and running via the lower bridge, with the winning post situated at the main Park gate. |
Further evidence of racing taking place at Hyde Park in the middle of the 17th century was in a comedy performed in 1641 in London called 'Merry Beggars or Jovial Crew' where a character says, 'shall we make a fling to London, and see how the spring appears there in the Spring Gardens, and in Hyde Park to see the races, horse and foot?'. Additional evidence of racing in Hyde Park in 1659 was gained via a play entitled, 'A Character of England.' |
On Friday 22nd September 1682 a race for 200 Guineas was staged and witnessed by HRH King Charles II. |
In the 18th century the Park witnessed several duels, while in 1851 the Great Exhibition was held in the Park. In 1872 a popular feature of the Park was established when Speaker's Corner was first used as an area for free speech and debate. |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 22nd September 1682. |
| Course today |
The Park remains the largest of the Royal Parks in London and is frequently used by horse riders, but no races take place. |
| 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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