Earliest Meeting: 1812
Final Meeting: Wednesday 13th September 1815
Racing was first staged in the West Berkshire town of Newbury in 1738 on Wash Common, lasting until 1777, but later the meeting re-emerged at Enborne Heath from 1805 to 1811 whence the land was enclosed as farmland. In 1812 an alternative site was sought and found at East Woodhay Heath, about 2 miles south-west of the town centre, on the Highclere Estate owned by the Herbert family with the title Lord Carnarvon. The final two day meeting took place on 12th and 13th September 1815, although racing was held just a week later on Northcroft Meadow.
The 19th century map below shows the location of East Woodhay relative to Newbury Town Centre.
With the Napoleonic Wars taking their toll, and the Heath land enclosed in 1815, meetings ceased at this venue.
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
