MANNINGTREE RACECOURSE

Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor

Earliest meeting: Tuesday 12th April 1887
Final meeting: Tuesday 12th April 1887
The Essex town of Manningtree, near Colchester, lies on the River Stour and got its name from ‘many trees’. It enjoys wide open countryside and in the 15th century it became a centre for the wool trade. In the latter part of the 1800s the town held its own race meeting on Tuesday 12th April 1887 at Abbott’s Manor, Lawford on land owned by Mr H N Dunnett. A packed card included the Farmers’ Cup which was won by Mr H Dunnett’s Chaffcutter, beating The Toad and Ballet Girl, while the East Essex Hunt Cup went to Double Breasted who defeated Harkaway and the Sir Claude de Crespigny’s Flushing. It was an amazingly successful meeting with some clever riding exploits, but surprisingly was not repeated on a future occasion.

This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.
Local Patrons 13th Hussars, Sir Claude de Crespigny, Captain Doyne, Lieut. Colonel Spilling
Principal Races

Subalterns’ Challenge Cup, Farmers Cup, East Essex Hunt Cup

Tuesday 12th April 1887
Subalterns’ Challenge Cup over 2 ½ miles
1. Portumna Girl, bay mare owned by Mr Grant
2. Pony, brown mare owned by Mr Phillips
3. Pupil, bay gelding owned by Mr McLaren

The only recorded meeting took place on Tuesday 12th April 1887.

Course today At Abbott’s Manor owned by Mr H N Dunnett, just a short walk from Manningtree station
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