21st century

Two racecourses have closed in the 21st century. Closed date refers to the last date on which racing took place at the venue.

More information Racecourse, Location ...

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Opened	Closed	Notes
Folkestone	Kent	England	Mixed	1898	18 December 2012
Towcester	Northamptonshire		National Hunt	1928	2018	Greyhound racing still takes place at the course

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20th century

Between 1900 and 1981, 98 racecourses closed their doors.^[3] Opened and closed dates refer to the first and last dates on which racing took place at the venue.

More information Racecourse, Location ...

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Opened	Closed	Notes
Aldershot Racecourse[4]	Hampshire	England			13 April 1927	Staged military racing from 1928 to 1939 and point-to-point racing from 1948 to 2012. Also known as Tweseldown Racecourse.
Alexandra Park Racecourse[5]	North London	England	Flat	30 June 1868	8 Sep 1970
Anglesey Racecourse	Anglesey	Wales	National Hunt	1757	4 November 1903[6]	Located first in Llangefni, then moved to Beaumaris
Atherstone Racecourse[7]	Warwickshire	England	National Hunt	1905	24 March 1909
Banbury Racecourse[8]	Oxfordshire	England	National Hunt		24 April 1929
Blackpool Racecourse[9]	Lancashire	England	National Hunt	1 August 1911	27 April 1915	Also known as Clifton Park Racecourse, now the site of Blackpool Airport
Bogside Racecourse[10]	Ayrshire	Scotland	Mixed	7 June 1808	10 April 1965	Staged point-to-point racing until March 1994
Bournemouth Racecourse[11]	Hampshire	England	National Hunt	17 April 1925	11 April 1928	Also known as Ensbury Park Racecourse
Brocklesby Hunt Racecourse[12]	Lincolnshire	England	National Hunt		6 April 1935[13]	Bona fide Hunt meetings were staged from 1937 to 1939
Bromford Bridge Racecourse[14]	Birmingham	England	Mixed	14 June 1895	21 June 1965
Buckfastleigh Racecourse	Devon	England		21 June 1883	27 August 1960	The dilapidated main grandstand survives, and is a well known local landmark, and the fields around it are still in use for point-to-point races.[15]
Cardiff Racecourse[16]	Glamorgan	Wales	National Hunt	30 May 1855	27 April 1939	Also known as Ely Racecourse. Staged Flat racing in the 19th century
Chelmsford Racecourse[17]	Essex	England	National Hunt	Bef. 1840	29 April 1935	An oval course, just under 2 miles in circumference[18]
Chesterfield Racecourse	Derbyshire	England
Colwall Park Racecourse[19]	Worcestershire	England	National Hunt	10 May 1900	25 May 1939	Pony racing took place in 1949 and point-to-point racing was staged between 1960 and 1963
Croxton Park Racecourse[20]	Leicestershire	England	Mixed	Bef. 1821	2 April 1914	Only Flat and hurdle races were run
Derby Racecourse	Derbyshire	England		by 1707	9 August 1939	Three different venues, the last of which opened in 1848. Still open parkland known as the Racecourse Playing Fields. The County Cricket Ground, located within the track, is still in use.
Durham Racecourse	County Durham	England		Bef. 1840		Held three day meeting at beginning of May[21]
Eglinton Racecourse	County Londonderry	Northern Ireland
Eridge Racecourse	Sussex	England
Gatwick Racecourse[22]	Sussex	England	Mixed	7 October 1891	28 March 1940	The land is now part of Gatwick Airport.
Grafton Hunt Racecourse	Northamptonshire	England			1928[13]
Hambleton Racecourse	Yorkshire	England			1911[13]
Harpenden Racecourse[23]	Hertfordshire	England	Flat	21 June 1848	7 May 1914	The land is now the site of Bamville Cricket Club.
Hawthorn Hill Racecourse[24]	Berkshire	England	National Hunt	16 April 1888	4 April 1939	Used for Household Brigade racing. The course staged pony racing from 1947 to 1951 and in 1961, and Arab racing in 1979
Hethersett Racecourse[25]	Norfolk	England	National Hunt	c1888	4 May 1939	The course staged point-to-racing from 1953 to 1970
Hooton Park Racecourse[26]	Cheshire	England	National Hunt	22 May 1899	17 April 1915	Subsequently the site of RAF Hooton Park and Vauxhall Ellesmere Port
Hull Racecourse[27]	East Riding of Yorkshire	England		1883	11 September 1909	Also known as Hedon Racecourse
Hurst Park Racecourse[28]	Surrey	England	Mixed	19 March 1890	10 October 1962
Ipswich Racecourse	Suffolk	England	Mixed	1710	29 March 1911	In 1840 it was holding a two-day meeting in early July, highlights of which were a 100 guineas Queen's Plate (dating from at least 1727) and a Town Members' Plate for 50 sovereigns[29]
Keele Park Racecourse[30]	Staffordshire	England	National Hunt	16 May 1895	18 October 1906	Now the site of Keele services
Lanark Racecourse[31]	Lanarkshire	Scotland	Flat	c. 1100s	18 October 1977
Lewes Racecourse[32]	East Sussex	England	Flat	Bef. 1727	14 September 1964	Situated on the chalk downs near the town, it was also home to the East Sussex Hunt. Held a Royal Plate Race for 6 year olds from 1727 at the latest. A stand was erected in 1772. In 1840, the course was "one of the finest four mile courses in the kingdom". Races took place in mid-August.[33]
Lichfield Racecourse	Staffordshire	England
Lincoln Racecourse[34]	Lincolnshire	England	Flat	1773	21 May 1964	Used for point-to-point races from 1967 to 1991
Maghull Racecourse	Lancashire	England
Manchester Racecourse	Lancashire	England	Mixed	1681	7 November 1963	There was racing at three successive sites in Manchester, the last being at Castle Irwell. Various plans to create a new racecourse on rural land such as Kersal Moor have been put forward in recent years.[35][36]
Melton Racecourse	Leicestershire[37]	England	National Hunt		27 March 1939	Located at Burton Lazars
Newport Racecourse[38]	Monmouthshire	(Wales)	National Hunt	Bef. 1845	17 May 1948	Also known as Caerleon Racecourse
Northampton Racecourse[39]	Northampton	England		Bef. 1840	31 March 1904	A one and a half mile oval, with a straight half mile run in. In 1840 was holding a two-day meeting at the end of August.
Northolt Park Racecourse[40]	Middlesex	England	Pony racing	4 May 1929	June 1940
Pershore Racecourse[41]	Worcestershire	England	National Hunt	6 October 1847	1 May 1939	Staged one Flat meeting in 1847 and National Hunt racing from 1899 to 1939
Plymouth Racecourse	Devon	England		c. 1827	4 September 1930	A spring meeting was held in May, and a grand two-day meeting in August[42]
Portsmouth Racecourse at Farlington[43]	Hampshire	England	Mixed	21 June 1891	17 April 1915	Closed during World War I and turned into an ammunition dump for the War Office.Also known as Portsmouth Park Racecourse.
Portsmouth Racecourse at Paulsgrove	Hampshire	England		1920s	c. 1946	The land was redeveloped as a housing estate.
Rothbury Racecourse[44]	Northumberland	England		Bef. 1759	10 April 1965	Held one meeting a year.
Rugby Racecourse at Clifton-upon-Dunsmore	Warwickshire	England				Still used annually for point-to-point races
Seamer Moor[45]	North Yorkshire	England		28 August 1868	18 May 1907[13]	Used for point-to-point races until 1935
Shincliffe Racecourse[46]	Durham	England	National Hunt	15 May 1895	6 May 1914
Shirley Racecourse[47]	Warwickshire	England	National Hunt	1 May 1899	11 March 1940	Staged pony racing from 1947 to 1953. The land is now the home of Shirley Golf Club
South Brent Racecourse	Devon	England
Southend Racecourse	Essex	England			1931[13]
Southwold Racecourse	Lincolnshire	England			1909[13]
Stockton Racecourse[48]	Durham	England		Sep 1855	16 June 1981	This was the third course in Stockton. The first dated from 1724. Known as Teesside Park from 1967 to 1979[49]
Tenby Racecourse	Pembrokeshire	Wales			1936[13]
Torquay Racecourse	Devon	England
Totnes Racecourse	Devon	England			1939[13]	Requisitioned by the Admiralty, it was sold in the early 1950s. At this course long distance steeplechases involved crossing the River Dart and the Totnes-Newton Abbot road. Sometimes called the Totnes and Bridgetown races[50]
Whitehaven Racecourse	Cumberland	England		1852
Wrexham Racecourse	Denbighshire	Wales				In 1840, it was holding a two-day October meeting which included a 100 sovereign Gold Cup[51]
Woore Racecourse	Shropshire	England			1 June 1963[13]
Wye Racecourse	Kent	England		29 May 1849	2 May 1974

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19th century

Many courses that were prominent in earlier times did not survive into the modern era. The list below is a selection of these, taken from Whyte's History of the British Turf. Where dates are not given for closure, it is possible they were still extant in the 20th century. No distinction has been made between enclosed courses of the type that are familiar now and those that were run over unenclosed courses, more akin to point-to-point racing. Indeed, some of these racecourses or parts of them are still used for that purpose.

More information Racecourse, Location ...

Racecourse	Location	Country	Code	Opened	Closed	Notes
Aberystwyth Racecourse[52]	Cardiganshire	Wales		not known	not known	A mid-August meeting was well and fashionably attended on a meadow near Gogerddan about three miles from the town.
Abingdon Racecourse[53]	Berkshire	England		1767	1875	Early records show that racing took place at Abingdon as early as 1767.The flat, oval racecourse had a circumference of 10 furlongs and a separate 6 furlong section for sprint races.
Ashford Racecourse[54]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a one-day meeting in September, with a £50 town plate being the principal race
Bedford Racecourse[55]	Bedfordshire	England		not known	not known	Two annual meetings recorded in 1840
Belford Racecourse[56]	Northumberland	England		not known	not known	Run at a course one mile south-west of the town, on the site of what is supposed to have been a Danish camp. Formerly at Beadnell.
Bibury Racecourse[18]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known
Bicester Racecourse[57]	Oxfordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a day-long meeting at the end of September, including a Town Plate of £50
Birmingham Racecourse[58]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Held a 'poorly-attended' two-day meeting in early October
Bishop's Castle Racecourse[59]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Near Ludlow, it held a day's 'inferior' racing in mid-July
Blandford Racecourse[60]	Dorset	England		not known	not known	Held a meeting towards the end of August which included the 100 sovereign Dorsetshire Gold Cup
Bodmin Racecourse[61]	Cornwall	England		not known	not known	Held one day's racing in September
Brecknock Racecourse[62]	Brecknockshire	Wales		not known	not known	A course near the town, with a 'commodious' stand held races for two days in late September
Brenwood Racecourse[63]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the end of September
Bridgenorth Racecourse[59]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the start of August; the course was in bad repair in 1840
Bromyard Racecourse[64]	Herefordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a day long race meeting in mid-August
Burnley Racecourse[65]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in the middle of August, including a Gold Cup of 100 sovs
Burntwood Racecourse[63]	Staffordshire	England		1838	16 October 1839	Held one day's racing in mid-October. Held the 'Ordinaries' at The Star Inn, Burntwood.
Burton-upon-Trent Racecourse[63]	Staffordshire	England		From 'a very early period'	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the end of August which included the Bretby Cup, given by the Earl of Chesterfield
Burton Constable Racecourse[66]	Worcestershire	England		not known	not known	A small hunter racecourse
Buxton Racecourse[61]	Derbyshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in June
Canterbury Racecourse[54]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held on Barham Downs, within 3 miles of the city. Had a 'commodious stand'. Was awarded a King's Plate by George II in 1729.[67]
Cardiff Racecourse[68]	Glamorganshire	Wales		not known	not known	Held mid-July meetings for two days.
Cheadle Racecourse[69]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held one day's 'inferior racing' at the beginning of September
Chesterfield Racecourse[70]	Derbyshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the start of October
Clifton and Bristol Racecourse[18]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing at the beginning of May
Clitheroe Racecourse[71]	Lancashire	England		1821	not known	The first record of racing was 1617 http://www.greyhoundderby.com/Clitheroe%20Racecourse.doc the link has a map too.
Coventry Racecourse[58]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Two-day race meetings were held in March with a Silver Cup and £100 in prize money
Croxton Park Racecourse[72]	Leicestershire	England		not known	not known	Held amateur races at the beginning of April
Croydon Racecourse	Surrey	England		1871	not known	Site now occupied by Long Lane Estate and Ashburton Playing Fields.
Dorchester Racecourse[73]	Dorset	England		not known	not known	Held two days' racing in the middle of September
Dove House Races at Harrow-on-the-Hill[74]	Middlesex	England		1836	not known	Held in mid-August
Dudley Racecourse[75]	Worcestershire	England		not known	not known	Held two days racing at the end of June
Dumfries Racecourse[76]	Dumfriesshire	Scotland		not known	not known	Alternately held the Caledonian Hunt meeting, along with Ayr, Edinburgh and Musselburgh
Egham Racecourse[77]	Surrey	England		not known	not known	Situated on the plain of Runnymede where King John signed Magna Carta, Egham races were often attended by royalty. The course was a two mile flat oval.
Eglistoun Park[78]	Ayrshire	Scotland		not known	not known
Enfield and Pinner Races[74]	Middlesex	England		not known	By 1836	Replaced by Dove House meeting
Gloucester Racecourse[79]	Gloucestershire	England		not known	not known	A mile and a half oblong course in a meadow on the banks of the River Severn, with a straight, 400 yard run-in
Gorhambury Park Racecourse[80]	Hertfordshire	England		1838	not known	Had four courses ranging in length from 5 furlongs 136 yards to two miles
Great Marlow Racecourse[81]	Buckinghamshire	England		not known	not known
Hampton Racecourse[74]	Middlesex	England		not known	not known	Three-day meetings held in the middle of June on Moulsey Hurst next to the river
Hastings and St. Leonards Racecourse[82]	Sussex	England		1827	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the end of September which included the Town Plate and St. Leonard's Plate, both of 50 sovereigns
Haverfordwest Racecourse[83]	Pembrokeshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated on a common near the town called Portfield or Poorfield. Two-day meetings were held at the beginning of August.
Heaton Park Racecourse[71]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held three days 'excellent' racing in late September
Hednesford Racecourse[69]	Staffordshire	England		1835	Monday 30 October 1871	Races were held on the 'heathy downs' at Cannock Chase which had long been famed for racehorses. A day long meeting was held in early July and again in October and November. These races did not run from 1835 to 1871 consecutively. The first meeting was on Tuesday 27 October 1835 and ran for seven years until Tuesday 8 November 1842. Another meeting was held on Tuesday 26 November 1850 with the final meeting being on Monday 30 October 1871.
Hertford Racecourse[84]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	not known	Races took place at the beginning of August for two days
Hippodrome Racecourse, Bayswater, London[85]	Middlesex	England		3 June 1837	not known	A 'vast establishment' also called the Metropolitan Racecourse
Holywell Racecourse[86]	Flintshire	Wales		9 November 1769	20 October 1852	Hunt races took place in the middle of October for two days.
The Hoo Racecourse[84]	Hertfordshire	England		1821	not known	Racing, mainly hunter chases, took place at the end of April and for a short time in the 1820s and 1830s the course was very fashionable
Kingston Racecourse [sic] (Kington)[87]	Herefordshire	England		not known	not known	An 'inferior' racecourse, with meetings at the end of July
Knighton Racecourse[83]	Pembrokeshire	Wales		not known	not known	Held two-day race meetings in mid-June.
Lancaster Racecourse[88]	Lancashire	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting in late July
Lee Racecourse[89]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held races that were only 'of local interest' in 1840
Leith Races[90]	Lothian	Scotland		1504 (or earlier)	1816	Races were held on the sands at low tide in late July or early August for four or five days, until the events were moved to Musselburgh. A 4 mile King's Plate was run at Leith from at least 1728[91]
Lenham Racecourse[92]	Kent	England		13 September 1848	Friday 29 June 1860	First held a one day race meeting: The Lenham and Mid Kent meeting, in 1848 on a course of barely 6 furlongs circumference. The final meeting took place on Friday 29 June 1860.[92]
Leominster Racecourse[87]	Herefordshire	England		not known	not known	Held meetings at the end of August
Lichfield Racecourse[69]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	The course was on the Tamworth road, about two miles from the city and raced at the end of March and in mid-September. Was awarded a King's Plate for 5 year olds by George II in 1748.[67]
Mansfield Racecourse	Nottinghamshire	England		21 August 1734	13 July 1874	The course was situated just over a mile east of the town, the area between the straights (which crossed both Eakring Road and Southwell Road) is still used for recreational purposes.[93]
Market Weighton Racecourse	North Yorkshire	England		6 March 1857	14 March 1859	A four mile course on Selby High Road.
Middleham Racecourse[94]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Races were held annually in November on Middleham Moor, but in 1840 they were deemed 'of little interest'. Middleham is still home to many racing stables.
Monmouth Racecourse[95]	Monmouthshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated on the banks of the River Wye near the junction with the River Monnow on Chippenham meadow. A two-day meeting was held in mid-October.
Morpeth Racecourse[96]	Northumberland	England		not known	not known	Races took place over two days at the beginning of September at Cottingwood to the north of the town.
Newcastle-under-Lyme Racecourse[97]	Shropshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting in early August
Newport Racecourse[98]	Shropshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the end of July
Newport Paynel [sic] Racecourse[99]	Buckinghamshire	England		not known	By 1840
Northallerton Racecourse[98]	North Riding of Yorkshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Racing took place in mid-October for two days, and included a £100 Gold Cup and £50 Silver Cup.
Oswestry Race Course	Shropshire	England		early 1700s[citation needed] or 1804[98]	1848	Racing started on the common west of the town over a unique figure-of-eight course. A grandstand was built at the start of the 19th century. but the last meeting was held in 1848. Its regular meeting was two days in September and included the Shropshire Stakes and a Gold Cup.
Oxford Racecourse	Oxfordshire	England		not known	not known	An oval of two miles, quite flat
Pontypool Racecourse[95]	Monmouthshire	Wales		not known	not known	Situated between the River Avon and the canal to Newport, Wales. A two-day meeting was held at the start of August.
The Potteries Racecourse[97]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the start of August including a Stewards' Plate of 100 sovs.
Richmond Racecourse[100]	Yorkshire	England	Mixed	not known	not known	Racing took place for two days in mid-September on Whitcliffe Meadow, an area of common ground, which was "an excellent course". The link below provides a wonderfully detailed description of the course and plans to transform it into a conservation area:- https://www.richmondshire.gov.uk/media/4936/richmond-racecourse-conservation-area-study.pdf
Rochester and Chatham Racecourse[89]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the beginning of September
Royston Racecourse[84]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a one day meeting in the middle of May, for 'half-bred horses' of local interest only
Shiffnal Racecourse[101]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days of 'inferior racing' at the end of May
Shrewsbury Racecourse[101]	Shropshire	England		1730	5 November 1886	Situated on Bicton Heath, 2 miles west of Shrewsbury. It was 1 mile 185 yards round. Races took place in mid-September for 3 or 4 days and included a Queen's Plate of 100gs. In Chris Pitt's book, A Long Time Gone, he states the meetings began in 1774 but there is evidence on John Slusar's website, The Greyhound Derby, that shows it was 1730.
Southampton Racecourse[102]	Hampshire	England		31 July 1804[103]	28 June 1881[103]	Situated on Southampton common on land given by the corporation. Held a two-day meeting at the beginning of August.
Stafford Racecourse[104]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	A one mile course, almost completely oval except for a quarter mile straight run-in. Held 'very inferior' races at the start of October.
Stamford Racecourse[105]	Lincolnshire	England		not known	not known	A mile in circumference on Wittering Heath near the town, held a three day mid-June meeting. The grandstand of 1766 survives
Staverton Racecourse[64]	Wiltshire	England		not known	not known	A meeting of merely local interest was held at the end of April
Stockbridge Racecourse	Hampshire	England		1839	1898	Dates given are for most significant incarnation of the course. There had been racing at another site in Stockbridge from 1775 or earlier[106]
Stone Racecourse[104]	Staffordshire	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting in early October.
Stowebridge Racecourse[75]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Held two days of racing at the end of August. Had a Cup Stakes of £100 in value.
St. Albans Racecourse[107]	Hertfordshire	England		not known	c. 1838	Held at a place called Noman's Land. Home to the St. Albans' Steeple Chase. Racing ceased on the establishment of Gorhambury Park.
Swansea Racecourse[68]	Glamorganshire	Wales		not known	not known	Commonly called 'Swansea and Neath races', the course was on Cremlyn Burrows on the Neath Road. Meetings were held at the end of August.
Tavistock Racecourse[50]	Devon	England		not known	not known	An oval, hilly, two mile course with a one day meeting at the beginning of May
Tenbury Racecourse[75]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Racing of a 'very inferior' nature, with the principal race being a £50 plate.
Tiverton Racecourse[50]	Devon	England		not known	not known	Held a two-day meeting at the end of August
Tunbridge Wells Racecourse[89]	Kent	England		not known	not known	Held a well attended two-day meeting at the end of August on the common
Upton-upon-Severn Racecourse[75]	Warwickshire	England		not known	not known	Races took place at the end of August
Walsall Racecourse[108]	Staffordshire	England		1755	13 August 1876	The majority of race meetings were held over two days at the end of September although some years the meeting was held in October and towards the end, in August.
Wem Racecourse[109]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held a 'very inferior' race meeting at the beginning of October
Wenlock Racecourse[109]	Shropshire	England		not known	not known	Held one day's racing at the end of July
Weymouth Racecourse[73]	Dorset	England		1821	not known	Well attended meeting held at the end of August. The course was considered 'very good'
Winchester Racecourse[110]	Hampshire	England		Bef. 1727	Circa 1914 requisitioned during WW I and remains in military ownership	Races were held on Worthy Down, 4 miles from Winchester for two days in the middle of July. Held a Royal Plate race for 6 year olds from at least 1727.[67]

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Numbers in the 18th-19th centuries

18th century

Whyte's History of the British Turf (1840) lists 48 places where racing was discontinued in the latter half of the 18th century:^[112]

NB Racing is recorded at various of these places after 1840. There is also reference to a Royal Plate race being held at Guilford [sic] from 1727 at the latest and Burford from 1755.^[67]

Other sites

Race results from places not listed by Whyte can also be found in the historical record. These include:

• Blankney Races^[116]
• New Malton^[117]
• Radcliffe Bridge^[118]
• Tarporley Hunt^[119]
• Tewkesbury^[117][120]