Old Cumbria Gazetteer |
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| race course, Burgh Marsh | ||
| locality:- | Burgh Marsh | |
| civil parish:- | Burgh by Sands (formerly Cumberland) | |
| county:- | Cumbria | |
| locality type:- | race course (once) | |
| coordinates:- | NY30986039 (about) | |
| 1Km square:- | NY3060 | |
| 10Km square:- | NY36 | |
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| evidence:- | old map:- OS County Series (Cmd 15 12) |
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| source data:- | Maps, County Series maps of Great Britain, scales 6 and 25
inches to 1 mile, published by the Ordnance Survey, Southampton,
Hampshire, from about 1863 to 1948. "Race Post" marked by a spot |
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| text:- |
Race meetings for the Barony Cup were held only when a new earl of Lonsdale assumes
the title. There was no meeting during World War II as the ground, near Lowther, was
occupied by the military. |
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| VCH Cumberland:- |
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| "[Racing at Burgh was invested with a new interest when the 'Barony Cup' came to be
recokoned as one of the prizes for competition on this course. The barony of that
name passed by purchase to the Lowther family in 1684, and soon after that date we
find record of the gift of this cup. It is said that it was originally given by the
lords of the barony 'upon their respectively coming of age'. But this is not in accordance
with more recent custom, for during the nineteenth century it had always been given
shortly after a new lord succeeded to the estates. ...]" |
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| Quarter Session records January 1700:- |
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| "[Agreed by the Justices of the peace with the consent of the high Sheriffe. That the
Sheriffe give fifteene pounds towards a Plate in liew of dinners for the future. And
to make the Plate as much more as he pleaseth to be runn for at the usuall course
at Workington and Burgh Marsh, the money equally to be divided, viz. halfe of it to
be run for at the Race att Workington upon Wednesday, 26th day of June. And the other
halfe to be runn for at Brough Marsh upon Fryday, the 19th day of July.]" |
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| In 1804 the first cup of the nineteenth century was won by a horse said to have been
purchased while drawing a coal cart at Dearham. It is of massive silver and bears
the inscription:- |
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| "Given by Willm. Viscount Lowther to be run for on Thursday, 3rd May, 1804, on Burgh
Marsh. Won by Mayson Hodgson's C. Mare." |
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| This is the veritable cup of which Anderson wrote: |
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| "The cup was au siller, and letter'd reet neycely, / A feyne naig they've put on't,
forby my lword's name." |
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| In 1883 the cup was replaced by a shield, embossed with sporting scenes, inscribed:- |
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| "The Burgh Barony Cup, the gift of the Rt. Hon. Hugh Cecil, Earl of Lonsdale, ..." |
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| It was won by Mr. Thomas Robinson's horse, Harmony. |
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| Mr Lambton wrote, 1883:- |
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| "It was a most curious little course where the races were held. ... Tom Green, of Beverley,
brought quite a string of horses, and won five races. The bookmakers said they hoped
Lord Lonsdale would live for ever, as they never wanted to see Burgh Barony again.
The last race was a tragedy. The famous old horse 'Durham' was to run for it, and,
ridden by Tom Spence, looked a good thing. A well-known Scottish sportsman, Johny
Martin, had won the fourth race with 'Rosemount', and at the last moment decided to
pull him out again. Seeing me without a mount, he asked me to ride. I said I wuld
be delighted to, but had asked Lord Lurgan to back 'Durham' to win me a considerable
sum, and that it was too late to stop him. 'That won't make any difference,' said
Martin, 'you ride my horse.' There were only five runners, and 2 to 1 was laid on
'Durham', 'Rosemount' starting at 4 to 1 against. Afer we had gone a mile-and-a-half,
the other three were beaten. I could see 'Durham' was in a sulky mood so I dropped
in behind him, much to the disgust of Tom Spence, who could not induce him to do anything,
in spite of the language he used both to his horse and to me. I just sailed past him
in the last hundred yards, and won easily. Tom, when he got off his horse, was in
an awful rage, exclaiming: 'If it was good enough for you ta have ~1,000 on, why the
-- couldn't you make the running?' ..." |
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| Fairfax-Blakeborough 1950 |
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