Monument record 9175/0/3 - Stamford Racecourse

In recent years, evidence has been found that there was a racecourse on the Burghley Estate in the early 1600's, but it was the 2nd Marquess of Exeter who was particularly known for his love of racing. He owned and trained many racehorses and invented the racing colours. In 1717, the sixth Earl of Exeter laid out a racecourse on Wittering Heath, two miles south of the town. It was said, at the time, to have had a straight mile as good as at Newmarket and Doncaster. A one mile long strip of land between 40 and 75 yards wide, bounded for the most part by modern hedges and represents the second (1820s) racecourse on the site. The track stretches just into Cambridgeshire where the 1766 grandstand was situated, at the winning post. This straight track replaced an earlier oval course of which no remains are extant except for hedges bounding the complete site as a rectangle

{1} Site extends across county boundary into Cambs. (Wothorpe CP). Course established 1717, originally oval. Straight mile course built after Easton on the Hill enclosure in 1820. No trace of original course. Straight mile course bounded by modern hedges. Remains of grandstand [TF 00 SW 12] built 1766 at the winning post.

<1> Royal Commission on The Historical Monuments of England, 1975, An Inventory of The Historical Monuments in The County of Northampton, p. 37-8/Site 6 (Series). SNN77379.

<2> HANCE F., 1970, STAMFORD THEATRE & RACECOURSE (Uncertain). SNN60838.

<3> 1820, Easton on the Hill Inclosure Map 15 (NRO Map 2895; BEO M399) (Map). SNN102482.

<4> Historic England, Stamford Racecourse, Wothorpe, BF035321 (Archive). SNN115307.

Record last edited

Jul 18 2023 2:37PM