Taunton Racecourse
Encyclopedia
Taunton Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Orchard Portman
, two miles south of Taunton
, Somerset
, England
. Opened in 1927, Taunton is the youngest National Hunt
course in England, and the last racecourse to be opened in Britain until Great Leighs
in 2008.
, though these ceased in 1812 due in combination to the Napoleonic Wars
and a lack of interest. Racing continued in Bridgwater
, 11 miles (18 km) north, but recommenced in Taunton in 1825. The course was on the site now occupied by King's College, and was praised highly in the annual publication Sporting Magazine. The site was troubled by heavy rain in 1838, which washed out all the races, and two years later racing moved to Trull Moor
, where they continued for a further 15 years. After this, the sport was once again confined to Bridgwater, and ceased even there at the outbreak of World War I
.
In 1927, at a meeting held in London, the Taunton Racecourse Company was founded, and agreed to create a new course on land granted for the purpose by Viscount Portman. The site had housed Orchard Portman House, the seat of the Portman family, but the house was destroyed in 1840. A small church, which was part of the estate is still visible on the backstretch. The first meeting was held on 21 September 1927, and the first race, the "Shoreditch Selling Hurdle" was won by Baalbek, owned by Mr Rayson. Initially, spectators were housed in nothing more than a wooden stand, which was commonly surrounded by huge puddles of mud, but the ground has been heavily outgraded, and include the Orchard Stand and the Paddock Stand (which is the members enclosure) and the newer AP McCoy stand, which provide catering facilities and are used for meetings and conferences on days when racing is not taking place. The course was the the last racecourse to be opened in Britain for 81 years, until Great Leighs
hosted its first race in 2008, followed the subsequent year by Ffos Las
.
and open ditches to negotiate. The course was improved during the building of the M5 motorway
, with the removed earth being used to extend the back straight and the bends.
Orchard Portman
Orchard Portman is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated south of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The village has a population of 150....
, two miles south of Taunton
Taunton
Taunton is the county town of Somerset, England. The town, including its suburbs, had an estimated population of 61,400 in 2001. It is the largest town in the shire county of Somerset....
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Opened in 1927, Taunton is the youngest National Hunt
National Hunt racing
National Hunt racing is the official name given to the sport of horse racing in the United Kingdom, France and Ireland in which the horses are required to jump over obstacles called hurdles or fences...
course in England, and the last racecourse to be opened in Britain until Great Leighs
Great Leighs Racecourse
Great Leighs Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Great Leighs near Chelmsford, Essex, England. When it opened in April 2008 it was the first completely new racecourse in the UK since Taunton opened in 1927...
in 2008.
History
Horse racing has been taking place in the Taunton area since the 18th century, initially taking place in Broomhay, West MonktonWest Monkton
West Monkton is a village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated north east of Taunton in the Taunton Deane district. The parish includes the hamlets of Monkton Heathfield, Bathpool, Burlinch and Coombe, and had a population of 2,663 at the 2001 census.-History:The charter for West...
, though these ceased in 1812 due in combination to the Napoleonic Wars
Napoleonic Wars
The Napoleonic Wars were a series of wars declared against Napoleon's French Empire by opposing coalitions that ran from 1803 to 1815. As a continuation of the wars sparked by the French Revolution of 1789, they revolutionised European armies and played out on an unprecedented scale, mainly due to...
and a lack of interest. Racing continued in Bridgwater
Bridgwater
Bridgwater is a market town and civil parish in Somerset, England. It is the administrative centre of the Sedgemoor district, and a major industrial centre. Bridgwater is located on the major communication routes through South West England...
, 11 miles (18 km) north, but recommenced in Taunton in 1825. The course was on the site now occupied by King's College, and was praised highly in the annual publication Sporting Magazine. The site was troubled by heavy rain in 1838, which washed out all the races, and two years later racing moved to Trull Moor
Trull
Trull is village and civil parish in Somerset, England, situated near Taunton. The parish which includes Dipford has a population of 1,861.-History:The name Trull is thought to derive from the word Trendle meaning circle or wheel....
, where they continued for a further 15 years. After this, the sport was once again confined to Bridgwater, and ceased even there at the outbreak of World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
.
In 1927, at a meeting held in London, the Taunton Racecourse Company was founded, and agreed to create a new course on land granted for the purpose by Viscount Portman. The site had housed Orchard Portman House, the seat of the Portman family, but the house was destroyed in 1840. A small church, which was part of the estate is still visible on the backstretch. The first meeting was held on 21 September 1927, and the first race, the "Shoreditch Selling Hurdle" was won by Baalbek, owned by Mr Rayson. Initially, spectators were housed in nothing more than a wooden stand, which was commonly surrounded by huge puddles of mud, but the ground has been heavily outgraded, and include the Orchard Stand and the Paddock Stand (which is the members enclosure) and the newer AP McCoy stand, which provide catering facilities and are used for meetings and conferences on days when racing is not taking place. The course was the the last racecourse to be opened in Britain for 81 years, until Great Leighs
Great Leighs Racecourse
Great Leighs Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in Great Leighs near Chelmsford, Essex, England. When it opened in April 2008 it was the first completely new racecourse in the UK since Taunton opened in 1927...
hosted its first race in 2008, followed the subsequent year by Ffos Las
Ffos Las racecourse
The Ffos Las racecourse is a horse racing, equestrian sports and conferencing venue situated just off the B4317 road, opposite the Glyn Abbey Golf Club, in a rural area called Ffos Las between Trimsaran and Carway and is about north of Llanelli...
.
Course details
Taunton is a right-handed oval track, with two long straights and two tight bends. The course is 1mile and 2furlongs (2.01km) in length, and has both fencesHorse jumping obstacles
Various obstacles are found in competitive sports involving Horse jumping. These include show jumping, hunter, and the cross-country phase of the equestrian discipline of eventing. The size and type of obstacles vary depending on the course and the level of the horse and rider, but all horses must...
and open ditches to negotiate. The course was improved during the building of the M5 motorway
M5 motorway
The M5 is a motorway in England. It runs from a junction with the M6 at West Bromwich near Birmingham to Exeter in Devon. Heading south-west, the M5 runs east of West Bromwich and west of Birmingham through Sandwell Valley...
, with the removed earth being used to extend the back straight and the bends.