Earliest meeting: August 1768
Final meeting: Wednesday 25th June 1800
Shawbury is a village in Shropshire 8 miles north east of the county town of Shrewsbury. The village was mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1085 when known as Sawesberie, and today has a population of 2,800. The ‘County History of Shropshire’ recorded that a race meeting first took place in Shawbury in early August 1768 on Shawbury Heath during the annual Shawbury Wake Week. The next mention of racing in the village was 8 years later when in 1776 the races had moved to a new course, and the same course was used in 1777 when a two day meeting was staged, preceded by a play and stag hunt. Racing continued annually with 2 day meetings until 1788, but by 1789 the meeting was extended to a third day to include pony racing. The final 2 day meeting took place on Tuesday 24th and Wednesday 25th June 1800 when on the first day the A.Corbet Hunters’ Sweepstakes was won by the sponsors Swish, while on the second day the Shawbury Maiden Plate went to Sir T Mostwyn’s Heart’s End beating Mr Corbet’s Bona Roba.

Sir T Mostwyn, Mr Andrew Corbet, William Owen

The Buck & Turtle Stakes, A Corbet Hunters Sweepstakes, Corbet & Owen Sweepstakes, Gentleman’s Subscription Plate

Tuesday 6th & Wednesday 7th August 1799

The Buck & Turtle Hunters Stakes over 3 miles
1. Tom Pipes owned by Mr Lockley walked over

Shawbury Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Turk owned by Mr Smith
2. Kitty Gunpowder owned by Mr Hale
3. Delia owned by Mr Hill

William Owen & Andrew Corbet Sweepstakes over 3 miles
1. Sultan owned by Mr Phillips
2. Black Deuce owned by Mr Lockley

Gentleman’s Subscription Plate over 3 miles
1. Polyphemus owned by Mr Saunders
2. Elvira owned by Mr Jones
3. Tom Pipes owned by Mr Lockley

Tuesday 24th & Wednesday 25th June 1800

A.Corbet Hunters Sweepstakes over 2 miles
1. Swish owned by Mr A Corbet
2. Robin Hood owned by Mr Bailey

Shawbury Sweepstakes over 3 miles
1. Sultan owned by Mr Smith
2. Unnamed filly by Coeur de Lion owned by Mr H Vernon
3. Boscobel owned by Mr W Hill

Shawbury Maiden Plate over 3 miles
1. Heart’s East owned by Sir T Mostwyn
2. Bona Roba owned by Mr E Corbet
3. Cocoa owned by Mr Saunders

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