Earliest meeting: Tuesday 10th April 1860
Final meeting: Thursday 29th April 1869
Northumberland is blessed with two villages called Wark and both, at one time or another, staged race meetings. Wark, near Cornhill, is often referred to as Wark on Tweed to differentiate it from Wark North Tyne. The race meetings were organised by the United Border Hunt, a group which later staged races at a range of Scottish towns over a 22 year period. However, the earliest recorded meeting at Wark, near Cornhill, was on Tuesday 10th April 1860, continuing at this venue for the next 7 years. There is evidence to suggest that chases were held in the village prior to this meeting. The tombstone of Robert Wallis Wood from Carnham, born on 16th December 1789, indicated that he was killed in a steeplechase, most likely at Wark around 1811. Whilst races continued at Wark North Tyne until 1878, the final meeting at Wark on Tweed was on Thursday 29th April 1869. |
| This racecourse is covered in Volume 1 of Racecourses Here Today and Gone Tomorrow. Ordering details shown below. |
| Local Patrons |
Sir W Elliot, Duke of Roxburgh, Lord Durham, Marquis of Beaumont |
| Principal Races |
Wark Silver Cup, United Border Hunt Chase |
Tuesday 9th April 1867
United Border Hunt Chase over 3 miles
1. Lochshiel, bay gelding owned by Mr Calder
2. The Tyke, bay gelding owned by Mr H Greet
3. Daybreak, chestnut gelding owned by Mr Calder |
| The final meeting took place on Thursday 29th April 1869. |
| Course today |
In fields just 2 miles outside of Wark. |
| 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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