Earliest meeting: Friday 13th June 1851
Final meeting: Friday 10th October 1873
The Cumbrian market town of Ulverston lies in the South Lakeland district within the glorious countryside of the Lake District. Historically the town was in Lancashire, just north of Morecambe Bay, and in the middle of the 19th century it had its own racecourse. The course was on Swarthmoor Heath, with racing first taking place at a two day meeting beginning on Friday 13th June 1851 as part of a festival of sport which included the Great Northern Athletic Championships. The Athletics meeting was launched in 1834, but it was in 1851 that horse races were added to the programme. The Athletics venture was successful and repeated for the next 22 years, not always including horse races. At this time the town’s most famous landmark, the Hoad Monument, was constructed commemorating the work of the statesman and local resident Sir John Barrow.  Racing then lapsed for almost 20 years before a final meeting was held on Friday 10th October 1873.

Friday 20th May 1853
Captain Michaelson Cavalry Cup
1. Robin Hood, aged horse owned by Mr Whitwell
2. Kate Kearney, aged horse owned by Mr Smith
3. Paddy, aged horse owned by Mr Fleming

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

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