Earliest Meeting: Wednesday 5th October 1698
Final Meeting: Saturday 7th October 1699
The Wiltshire town of Amesbury lays claim to being the oldest settlement in Great Britain, dating from before 8820 BC, and was certainly the location of an Iron Age hill fort overlooking the River Avon. It is most famously known for its prehistoric monument of Stonehenge which lies within its parish, and is on the southern edge of Salisbury Plain. Race meetings were held in the vicinity of Stonehenge and Amesbury in the final years of the 17th century, with the earliest record indicating racing took place on Wednesday 5th October 1698 when a £20 Plate was contested over 3 heats each of 4 miles, with each horse carrying 12 stone. In order to compete, each horse had to be registered with the Steward 2 weeks before the race, and had to pay a fee of 10 shillings. The terms of the race meant that the winning horse had to be sold for £30. |
| This racecourse is NOT covered in the 4 Volumes of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
The following year another meeting was staged on the Amesbury course on Wednesday 4th October 1699 for a subscription Plate of £18, with each horse carrying 10 stone. Once again it was the best of 3 heats over the 4-mile course, and was followed 3 days later with a further race on Saturday 7th October 1699 for a £20 Plate when each horse was saddled with 12 stone. The second race was restricted to horses of 6 years old or younger, and entries had to be registered by Wednesday 21st September 1699. |
| The final meeting took place on Saturday 7th October 1699. |
| Course today |
No evidence remains of the former 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. |
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| Volume 2 South of Hatfield £14.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 3 Wales & Scotland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volume 4 Ireland £9.99 + £3 postage |
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| Volumes 1 - 4 £54.96 + £5 postage |
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