Earliest meeting: Wednesday 13th September 1848
Final meeting: Friday 29th June 1860
Lenham is a Kent market town situated midway between Maidstone and Ashford. It first held a one day race meeting, entitled The Lenham and Mid Kent meeting, in 1848 on a course of barely 6 furlongs circumference. The course was on Lenham Hill, a short distance from the town centre, and opened with a Sweepstake won by Mr Brigg’s brown mare Fanny.The Lenham meeting was very well supported by Mr J S Douglas whose trainer was Drewitt. His horses were mostly ridden by George Fordham who rode the Squire of Lenham’s Derby favourite, Tournament, in the Epsom Derby of 1857, but it was beaten by Blink Bonny. The final meeting took place on Friday 29th June 1860. |
This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Major Bringhurst, Captain Wilson, Captain Lamotte, Mr J S Douglas, Mr B Land |
| Principal Races |
Mid-Kent Handicap, Lenham Plate, Chilston Park Stakes |
Wednesday 27th June 1855 |
The Mid-Kent Handicap over a mile
1. Vulcan owned by Mr Drewe
2. Gondoline owned by Mr Douglas
3. Plausible owned by Mr Powell
The Lenham Plate over 1 ½ miles
1. Warbler owned by Mr Messer
2. The Archer owned by Mr Douglas
3. Humboldt owned by Major Bringhurst
The Chilston Park Stakes over a mile
1. Englemere owned by Mr B Land
2. Loquacious owned by Captain Lamotte
3. Oleaster owned by Mr Messer |
| The final meeting took place on Friday 29th June 1860. |
| Course today |
A 6 furlong course on Lenham Hill on the edge of the town. |
| 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 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
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. |
| ORDER FORM |
| Download an order form |
| |
Quantity |
Cost |
| Volume 1 North of Hatfield £19.99 + £4 postage |
|
|
| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
|
|
| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
|
|
| Postage & Packaging |
|
|
| Total |
|
|
| Email order form to johnwslusar@gmail.com |
|