I am very grateful to Barry Foulkes for the article written below. He would be pleased to hear from anyone who can provide further details about racing at Lewes, or offer pictures, photographs or newspaper articles. He can be contacted on tel.no. 01825763407 or via email BEEJAYSFENCING@aol.com

The earliest date which racing took place at Lewes is not known, but it was sometime during the reign of Queen Anne, before official records were kept. Thomas Marchant mentions, in his diaries, a plate race at Lewes in 1714, and Thomas Turner was a regular visitor up to 1765 when meetings were held in August with the biggest race being the £100 Kings Plate.

The course was, and still is, 1 mile west of the county town of Sussex, situated some 500 feet above sea level, the turf resting above deep layers of chalk, ensuring excellent going. It is a right hand course in the shape of a narrow horseshoe, the first part being on a strong incline and then it becomes level for 6 furlongs. From the 5 furlong marker there is a slight descent, lasting for a considerable distance until the starting post is reached, it then levels out for 100 yards before another strong incline opposte the stands, finishing on the level. The mile and a half start, and beyond, are part of the 2 mile course, the idea being to introduce a second winning post to enable there to be perfectly straight races up to 6 furlongs. However, the last 6 furlong race is reported to have taken place in 1930, and the last 2 mile race in 1914.

The first stand was built in 1772, although this was burnt down in 1842 and a new stand was erected in 1874, later to be enlarged in 1893. The Prince of Wales, later to become Prince Regent and then George IV, seldom missed a Lewes meeting. In 1790 the prince, who by then had his own racing stables, a part of which was based on his new pavilion estate, won the 25 Guineas Sweepstake at Lewes with his horse Smoker. On 27th July 1806 a famous match took place between 2 celebrated horses of the day, Sancho and Pavilion, for a purse of 2000 Gunieas. The prince turned up in his barouche with 6 beautiful greys. King Edward VII also attended the meeting as often as he could.

Over the years Lewes has attracted some of the top horses; the Derby winner Diomed was defeated by Mercury as a 6 year old. In 1793 the Derby winner Waxy won a mile and a half sweepstake, and another Derby winner, the 1805 winner Cardinal Beaufort, was beaten twice in the same year at the course.

The 2 main races were the Lewes Handicap and the Astley Stakes. The Lewes Handicap was first run in 1854 with Rhylstone winning in 1877, 1878 and 1879. In 1895 Marco won and also later won the Cambridgeshire, while in 1897 Merman won and also won the Ascot and Goodwood Gold Cups and the Cesarewitch Handicap. In 1900 Santoi won and went on to win the Ascot Gold Cup. The Astley Stakes was for 2 year olds and was first run in 1875. In 1880 there was a remarkable race in which 5 of the 9 horses passed the winning post practically in a line. The judge declared a triple dead heat, with a dead heat for fourth Has this ever happened since; indeed what is the greatest number of horses to have finished within a short head of each other?

Lewes has always attracted the top jockeys. On 4th November 1886 Fred Archer, who rode 52 winners at Lewes, rode at the course and had his last ride in the Castle Plate where he was unplaced on the 13/8 favourite. He suggested he was feeling ill and got the train to Cambridge and 4 days later shot himself in a fit of delirium. Gordon Richards rode his first ever double at the course on 6th June 1921, while Lester Piggott claimed his first win in 1950.

As well as experiencing many successful days Lewes has witnessed its fair share of sad occasions. Mr Hanbury was killed in the 1880s and on the 4th August 1933 Alex Cottrill's saddle slipped whilst he was riding in the Hamsey Welter Handicap and he died 6 days later from his injuries. In 1955 the last of the unique 3 Two day meetings took place. These ran Monday & Tuesday, Friday and Saturday and again on Monday and Tuesday. Maybe this was the start of the decline of Lewes, for meetings after this were confined to 5 Monday and one Saturday fixture.

The last dead heat at Lewes was in the final year of fixtures and was between 2 Lewes trainers T Masson and R Moore. The course suffered from having no running water, no electricity or gas, and no sewage and these must have been key factors why the racecourse was closed. Locals read with sadness that the last Lewes meeting was scheduled to be held on 14th September 1964 and was confirmed by the Clerk of the course of the day Mr H C Clifton, following an earlier statement by the Horse Racing Betting Levy Board that they would withdraw their funding for the meeting.

They might have taken the course away but not the memories, or the beautiful surroundings, which still survive to this day!

FIRST MEETING

Records show meetings as early as 1727.

SITUATED

On the South Downs, hence the name of the Southdown Club, just one mile from the town of Lewes, and 500 feet above sea level.

DISTANCES

A horse-shoe shaped course extending about 2 miles after the First World War, right-handed with slight undulations. Its biggest claim to fame is that it witnessed a triple dead-heat in the Astley Stakes of 1880, not remarkable in itself (although unusual) but the next 2 horses, a short head behind, also dead heated. Remarkably 5 horses finished within a short head of each other. The handicapper earnt his money that day !!!

PRINCIPAL RACE

The Lewes Handicap run over a mile and a half.

WORLD WAR I

Closed

WORLD WAR II

Closed

FACT

Diomed won the first Derby and was owned by Sir Charles Bunbury.

QUESTION

What is Diomeds association with Lewes Racecourse?

CURRENT SITUATION

Still plain to see as a racecourse, with a number of trainers making use of the facilities.

LAST MEETING

14^th September 1964

If you have :-

a favourite memory of this racecourse;

photos or a postcard of the course;

a members badge from the course, either to sell or as a scan;