Earliest meeting: Tuesday 19th September 1732
Final meeting: Thursday 21st September 1732
The small Wiltshire market town of Mere lies on the edge of Salisbury Plain, close to the borders of both Devon and Somerset. On Long Hill, on the edge of the village, there are 4 bowl barrows which provide evidence of prehistoric activity in the area, and an Iron Age Fort is close to Whitesheet Hill. In the middle of the 13th century the Earl of Cornwall built Mere Castle, although it was abandoned a century later. Today the village combines with nearby hamlets Burton, Charnage, Limpers Hill, Rook Street and Southbrook, but in the early part of the 18th century Mere held its own 3-day race meeting from Tuesday 19th to Thursday 21st September 1732. |
| This racecourse is NOT covered in any of the 4 Volumes of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr Try, Mr Stubbs, Mr Thornton |
| Principal Races |
Meer 30 Guineas Purse |
Tuesday 19th September 1732
Meer 30 Guineas Purse
1. KISS IN A CORNER, bay gelding owned by Mr Try
2. SIMILING JENNY, bare mare owned by Mr Tooting
3. WHIPPER IN, bay gelding owned by Mr Garrard
3 ran
Wednesday 20th September 1732
Meer 10 Guineas Give & Take for Galloways
1. WILTSHIRE LADY, chestnut mare owned by Mr Stubbs
2. YORKSHIRE BETTY, bay mare owned by Mr Moore
3. SMACK SMACK, bay gelding owned by Mr Brice
3 ran
Thursday 21st September 1732
Meer 20 Guineas Hunters Purse
1. MERRY HARRIER, bay gelding owned by Mr Thornton
2. DRAGON, chestnut horse owned by Mr Greville
3. WOODCOCK, bay gelding owned by Mr Penruddock
4. FOX HUNTER, bay horse owned by Mr Ball
5. PHILANDER, bare horse owned by Mr Hasket
5 ran |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 21st September 1732 |
| Course today |
No evidence exists of the site of the previous racecourse |
| 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. |
| ORDER FORM |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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