Earliest meeting: Monday 14th August 1732
Final meeting: Tuesday 23rd May 1837
The tiny County Durham village of Winlaton first held races in 1734. It once had a rich industrial history when the Quaker steel magnate Ambrose Crowley moved to the village. He was a nail-maker and set up his furnace on the banks of the River Derwent at Winlaton Mill in 1691. Although the inaugural meeting held in the town was on Monday 14th August 1732, Baily’s Racing Register did not provide detailed results until August 1734 when the races were run on the Hall-Garth. Meetings continued in the village until the middle of the 19th century, supported by the Cowen Brothers, William and John, and the owner of Kirkley Hall and Estate, John Savile. The final meeting took place on Tuesday 23rd May 1837 and it was a fitting end that the Winlaton Town Plate was won by Merry Lass owned by John Cowen. Races still continued in the village through to 1866, although they were more random and across a variety of fields. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Ambrose Crowley, Mr John Cowen, Mr William Cowen, Mr John Savile |
| Principal Races |
Winlaton Hack Stakes, Winlaton Town Plate, Winlaton Sweepstakes |
Monday 14th August 1732
Winlaton 14 Guineas Purse sponsored by Ambrose Crowley
1. SMILING TOM, bay horse owned by Rev M Tarran
2. UNNAMED bay mare owned by Mr Fenwick
3. UNNAMED grey horse owned by Mr Lambton
4. UNNAMED bay mare owned by Mr Widyon
5. UNNAMED chestnut gelding owned by Mr Vesey
5 ran
Tuesday 15th August 1732
Winlaton £10 Plate
1. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Lambton
2. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Stevenson
3. UNNAMED grey horse owned by Mr Jackson
4. UNNAMED chestnut horse owned by Mr Vesey
4 ran |
Monday 16th August 1734 |
Winlaton 20 Guineas Plate
1. Baggage owned by Mr Swinburne
2. Morat owned by Mr Craggs
3. Ringtail owned by Mr Newton |
Racing continued at the village until the mid-1800s, ably supported by the Cowen Brothers, William and John, and the owner of Kirkley Hall and Estate, John Savile. Details of the 1837 meeting are shown below. |
Monday 22nd to Tuesday 23rd May 1837 |
Winlaton Town Plate over 2 miles
1. Merry Lass owned by Mr John Cowen
2. Unnamed horse owned by Mr John Savile
3. Unnamed horse owned by Mr Charles Ogle |
| The final meeting took place on Tuesday 23rd May 1837. |
| Course today |
On the Hall-Garth on the edge of the village. |
| 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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