SHREWSBURY
Aintree racecourse;Ascot;Ayr;Bangor;Bath;Beverley;Brighton;Carlisle;Cartmel;Catterick;Cheltenham Festival;Chepstow;Chester;Doncaster St Leger;Epsom Derby;Exeter racecourse;Fakenham;Folkestone;Fontwell Park;Glorious Goodwood;Hamilton Park;Haydock Park;Hereford Racecourse;Hexham;Huntingdon;Kelso;Kempton Park;Leicester;Lingfield;Ludlow;Market Rasen;Musselburgh;Newbury Racecourse;Newcastle;Newmarket;Newton Abbot;Nottingham;Perth;Plumpton;Pontefract Racecourse;Redcar;Ripon;Salisbury;Sandown Park;Sedgefield;Southwell;Stratford;Taunton;Thirsk;Towcester;Uttoxeter;Warwick;Wetherby;Wincanton;Windsor;Wolverhampton;Worcester;Yarmouth;York Ebor
| Racing at Shrewsbury was first recorded in 1774 and took place for over a century until the last meeting on 19th October 1887. The picture of the course shown opposite is from the Illustrated London News. |
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Evidence of a meeting taking place at the Bicton Heath course on 16th September 1818 when the Gentlemen's Gold Cup was competed for. The cup was valued at 100 guineas and was paid for by 10 subscribers who each made a contribution of 10 guineas. This would probably have given them entrance to the races for a number of years, or even life membership. The racecard opposite shows the runners in the Cleveland Handicap. |
| Another view of the Shrewsbury racecourse facilities is provided by the London News in 1854. This is shown opposite and indicated an aptly named 'Grand National Archery Meeting' taking place at the course. |  |
| Shrewsbury races gained the reputation of being
fixed, and the course was often infested with pickpockets, and it therefore came as no
surprise when the final meeting took place on the 19th October 1887.
With gratitude to John Griffiths who wrote the book of Walsall Racecourse advertised on this home page. |
If you have :-
a favourite memory of this racecourse;
photos or a postcard of the course;
a members badge from the course, either to sell or as a scan;
then email me at johnslusar@fsmail.net and I will include the details on this site together with an acknowledgement for you.
