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Ipswich Racecourse
Ipswich Racecourse
North, 52.03994,1.18573
closed 2008
opened 1925
Nacton Rd
grid reference TM 185 427
The pub's name derives from the fact that it reputedly stood close to the location of the finishing post of the old Ipswich racecourse, which was active between 1710 and 1911.
In the March 1981 edition of Last Orders*** it was reported that new landlords Derryck & Maxine Holder were now running this Tolly Cobbold pub.
Closed and boarded up in November 2008. Planning permission to build several blocks of flats on the land was agreed and so the pub was demolished during summer of 2009. The site is now occupied by a Tesco supermarket.
Owner/operator: Pubmaster
No real ale - handpump disused.CAMRA's 1997 Suffolk Real Ale Guide
Gallery
Landlords
Footnote
The Ipswich Racecourse was on Nacton Heath and was 1 mile and 7 furlongs in circumference. The course ran along the line of the modern Lindberg Road, Cobham Road, parallel to Felixstowe Road as far as the modern Hatfield Road before a six furlong finish straight running parallel to Nacton Road to complete the loop close to the site of the former pub.
The earliest mention of annual race meetings in Ipswich was 1710 when a Town Purse was run for by "high mettled racers". A royal plate was gained in 1727 which gave the meetings good support for the next half a century. Popularity declined slightly until the garrison came to Ipswich in the early 1800s when the officers brought their support to the races. The last flat race was in 1884 following the withdrawal of the Queen's Plate. From then, it became exclusively a National Hunt course. Last race meeting was 29 March 1911.
(Most pub, location & historic details collated by Nigel, Tony or Keith - original sources are credited)
(*** Last Orders is a free local newsletter - published by Suffolk CAMRA memers since 1978)