Earliest meeting: Thursday 9th March 1865
Final meeting: Friday 19th March 1869
The Hertfordshire village of Chorleywood lies in the Three Rivers district of the county, bordering Buckinghamshire. It is just 20 miles north west of Charing Cross and, at one time, was part of the parish of Rickmansworth. In the mid-1800s racing was held in the village under the direction of the Old Berkeley Hunt committee. At one time the Old Berkeley hounds were kennelled nearby and their first race meeting took place on Thursday 9th March 1865 on a fine piece of ground at Chorley Wood owned by Mr J H Barnes. In 1867 the same course was used on Wednesday 20th February when the opening Maiden Stakes saw Mr Reed’s Rioter beat Harriett and Gardener, while in the Match which followed Hungerford got the better of Little Wonder. The final meeting took place on Friday 19th March 1869, although Berkeley Hunt steeplechases continued for a number of years. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Viscount Malden, Duke of St Albans, Earl of Essex |
| Principal Races |
Town Plate, 2nd Life Guards Challenge Cup, Lilliputian Stakes |
Wednesday 20th February 1867
Lilliputian Stakes
1. Sir Roger, black gelding owned by Captain Garrett
2. Signet, bay mare owned by Mr Hill
3. Noname, bay mare owned by Mr Dixon |
The final meeting took place on Friday 19th March 1869. |
| Course today |
Fine racing ground at Chorley Wood owned by Mr J H Barnes. |
| 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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