Monument record 11013/1/0 - Roodee Racecourse

Race meetings have been held on the Roodee more or less continuously since 1540, its continuity in the same space being the justification behind Chester’s claim to be the oldest racecourse in Britain. The original race was held on Shrove Tuesday by the Saddlers Company in the 16th century with a further races added to the calendar in 1610 and 1640. The City Corporation took charge of the races from the Saddlers’ from 1612. The early races were held a little further to the north, with the starting stone located near the Water Tower until the late 18th century. The extension south to its present circuit occurred in the mid 18th century following the canalisation of the river Dee.

The first purpose built structure associated with the racecourse was the pentice on the Roodee, built in the West Gate perhaps as early as the start of the 17th century. The new stands were added in 1769 (themselves replaced in the 20th century by the present structure). Additional chairs were also added although the distance and the finishing points remained adjacent to the city walls.

By the 19th century the racecourse had largely settled into its present organisation, no longer managed by the City it was initially run by committee, with separate committees for the two stands until the late 19th century when the Chester Race Company was formed and the race days have since grown in popularity throughout the 20th century. (3)

<1> de Lavaux, A, 1745, Plan of the City and Castle of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH5255.

<2> Ordnance Survey, 1872-1875, Metric Ten Foot Scale Town Plan of Chester (Maps and Plans). SCH6780.

<3> Lewis C.P & Thacker A.T. (eds), 2005, Victoria County History - A History of the County of Chester: Volume Vii, The City of Chester - The City of Chester, Culture, Buildings, Institutions, p255-260 (Book). SCH6522.