Earliest meeting: Wednesday 4th February 1863
Final meeting: Wednesday 4th February 1863
The ancient Wiltshire village of Netton is close to the city of Salisbury and the village of Eblestone. In the 1086 Domesday Book Eblestone was recorded as one of 8 manors in the Chalke Valley, but Netton can trace its history back to Saxon times. The two villages are surrounded by beautiful countryside and in the middle of the 19th century Netton Hunt was a regular feature of rural life. In 1863 the Netton Hunt committee diversified by organising their own race meeting on Wednesday 4th February 1863. The course over fair hunting ground was at Dunbridge, 2 miles from Dunbridge Station, and contained natural and artificial fences. A particular fence which fascinated the majority of the crowd was an open brook with a low furze fence on one side which challenged the riders and provided a spectacle for onlookers. The meeting opened with a Match over 3 miles in which Diana, a bay mare, defeated Mr Barnes Winterbourne grey. The meeting closed with the Netton Open Steeplechase and, despite the obvious success of the meeting, no future meetings were organised. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 2 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Captain Beverely Robinson, Mr Walter Flower (Steward) |
| Principal Races |
Netton Stakes, Netton Open Steeplechase |
Wednesday 4th February 1863
Netton Stakes
1. St Pierre, bay gelding owned by Mr Williams
2. Python, chestnut horse owned by Mr Yates
3. Telegraph, chestnut mare owned by Mr Brown |
The only recorded meeting took place on 4th February 1863. |
| Course today |
A course over fair hunting ground 2 miles from Dunbridge 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 |
|