Earliest meeting: Tuesday 19th July 1687
Final meeting: Tuesday 15th April 1879
It is known that racing took place at a range of venues and periods of time in the Staffordshire town of Tamworth, made famous by Sir Robert Peel when he launched his Tamworth Manifesto, making him the first politician to do so. The first results were included in the Sporting Magazine in 1840 when a meeting took place on the Staffordshire Moor course. However, the 'County History of Staffordshire' recorded that a meeting had taken place at Tamworth, on Staffordshire Moor, on Tuesday 19th July 1687, making it the earliest meeting in the vicinity of the town. At that 1687 meeting a Plate was contested over 3 heats of 3 miles each, and horses had to be shown to the Clerk of the Plate on Friday 15th July 1687 at the White Horse in Tamworth. Racing was staged intermittently, although a two-day meeting took place each year between 1739 and 1741. At the meeting on Tuesday 31st March 1840 a race condition included a clause to reward Atherstone Hound members an additional Purse for entering the Sweepstake. Although the race was won by Forester, owned by Mr Baker, the Marquis of Hastings and racing fanatic Mr Meynell received more valuable purses as a consequence of the condition. Racing was later staged at Lady Meadow between 1868 and 1869, whilst a further venue was at Fazeley between 1868 and a final meeting on Tuesday 15th April 1879.

This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below.

Marquis of Hastings, Baron Webster, Mr Meynell, Mr T S Wilkins, Mr Bradley

Tuesday 31st March 1840

Tamworth 3 Sovereign Sweepstakes
1. Forester owned by Mr Barker
2. The Doctor owned by Mr Atkins
3. Raven owned by Mr Birch
The winner was ridden by Arnold and won by two lengths. The conditions of the race meant that the Marquis of Hastings, Mr Meynell and anyone riding with the Atherstone Hounds received an extra Purse.

Monday 15th April 1843

Tamworth Hunters Stakes over 2 miles
1. Tamworth owned by Mr Webb
2. Ivanhoe
3. Misprint

The Baron Webster Whip over 2 miles
1. Filby owned by Mr T S Wilkins
2. Nell Gwynne
3. Fakeaway

Tamworth Hurdle over 2 miles and 6 hurdles
1. Sir Robert owned by Mr Bradley
2. Mary Wood
3. No Doubt

There were also Pony Races over 6 furlongs and Galloway Races over a mile on the programme.

Racing was later staged at Lady Meadow between 1868 and 1869, whilst a further venue was at Fazeley between 1868 and 1879.

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