Earliest meeting: Monday 8th August 1836
Final meeting: Monday 13th August 1866
The Staffordshire village of Gnosall lies in the borough of Stafford and marks the mid-point of the journey between Newport (Shropshire) and Stafford. The village, together with the smaller villages and hamlets of Woodseaves, Knightley, Cowley, Ranton, Church Eaton, Bromstead Heath, Moreton and Haughton, form the civil parish. It is known that the village held its own series of race meetings during the mid-1800s, the first of which took place on Monday 8th August 1836 when the Town Plate was won by Gazelle for Mr James Belcher, and the Subscription Purse by Clear All, while the later Farmers’ Plate went to Mr M Belcher’s Shall I Come Time Enough. The ‘County History of Staffordshire’, recorded that the village of Gnosall staged racing from 1836 to at least 1865, with results broadcast in the Staffordshire Advertiser. The final meeting actually took place on Monday 13th August 1866 and opened with the Gnosall Hurdle which fell to Mr William Gosnell’s Lord Clifton. After the Tradesmen’s Hurdle had been secured by Mr Cromby’s Lizzy, an Ordinary was served at the Horns Inn. Although race meetings continued to be organised in the village, often in conjunction with Wakes week celebrations, the races were predominantly for galloways and ponies. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Mr William Gosnell, Mr James Belcher |
| Principal Races |
Gnosall Town Plate, Gnosall Hurdle, Tradesmen’s Plate |
The ‘County History of Staffordshire, records that Gnosall staged racing from 1836 to at least 1865, with results broadcast in the Staffordshire Advertiser. |
Monday 8th August 1836
Gnosall Town Plate
1. Gazelle, brown mare owned by Mr James Belcher
2. Kitty, chestnut mare owned by Mr Machin
3. Gipsy, brown mare owned by Mr Higgins |
The final meeting took place on Monday 13th August 1866. |
| Course today |
In fields owned by Mr William Gosnell 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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