The Racecourse

British sports ground

For the park in Northampton, see The Racecourse, Northampton. For the football stadium in Wrexham, see Racecourse Ground. For the cricket ground in Hereford, see Racecourse Ground, Hereford.

Racecourse Ground

Ground information
Location| Durham, County Durham
Coordinates| 54°46′30.19″N 1°33′56.80″W﻿ / ﻿54.7750528°N 1.5657778°W﻿ / 54.7750528; -1.5657778
Home club| Durham University
County club| Durham
Establishment| 1843 or earlier
Capacity| 8500
End names
City End
Pavilion End
International information
First WODI| 16 July 2002:
England v  New Zealand
Last WODI| 17 July 2002:
India v  New Zealand
Team information
| Durham CCC | (1992 - 1994)

|

Durham University | (1843 - present)
Durham City Cricket Club | (by 1844 - 1887)
As of 6 September 2020
Source: CricketArchive

The Racecourse is an open area on the River Wear in Durham, England of 11.6 hectares (29 acres) total that has been used as a sports ground since at least 1733. It forms part of Durham University's sports facilities as well as hosting local sports clubs.[1] The Racecourse cricket ground, which has hosted first class matches, has been used since at least 1843, and is the home ground of Durham University's cricket team. The Racecourse also contains squash, tennis and fives courts, rugby, hockey and football pitches, and boathouses.

As well as use by Durham University, the Racecourse is known for hosting two annual events, the Durham Regatta and Durham Miners' Gala.[2] With the exception of the riverside path, which is owned by Durham County Council, the Racecourse is owned by Durham University.[1]

## History

[edit]

Before it was a racecourse, the Racecourse was known as Smelt Haugh or Smiddy Haughs and is thought to have been a smithy for the Prior of Durham.[2] It was first recorded as being used for horse racing in 1733. At its peak, the course had a stone grandstand and attracted 80,000 spectators for a two-day event in 1873. Racing continued at the site until around 1887.[2] From 1815 there was an annual boat procession along the River Wear at the Racecourse, celebrating Wellington's victory at the Battle of Waterloo. In 1834 this became the Durham Regatta, the second oldest regatta in England.[2][3] The Durham Miners' Gala (established 1871) has been held annually at the Racecourse since 1872.[4]

Cricket has been played on the Racecourse since at least 1843, when Durham University played the first recorded game there. This predates Cambridge's first game at Fenner's (1848) and Oxford's first game at The Parks (1881), making the Racecourse the oldest university cricket ground in England still in use. In the 1840s the land was owned by the Bishop of Chester, who leased it to Durham City Cricket Club (established in 1829) in 1844. By the late 1840s, however, the lease had passed to the university. There is a 19th century drawing of a "Grand cricket match at Durham" at University College, Durham, attributed to Cuthbert Bede and dated 1848; it was probably published in 1849 in the Illustrated London News.[5] Durham City Cricket Club continued to play at The Racecourse cricket ground until 1887, when they moved "amid mutterings of discontent" to Green Lane Cricket Ground at the east end of the Racecourse. Horse racing was also stopped by the university at the same time, so from 1888 the ground was solely used by the university.[6]

Matt Baker lights the cauldron at the Racecourse from the Olympic torch on day 29 of the relay, 16 June 2012.

On 16–17 June 2012 the Racecourse hosted the Olympic torch as part of the London 2012 Olympic torch relay.[7]

The Racecourse was added to the County Durham local list in 2023.[8]

## Cricket ground

[edit]

The Racecourse cricket ground

The Racecourse's most significant facility is its cricket ground, which has been used by Durham University since 1843.[9] It has a capacity of 8,500 (2015).[10]

The Racecourse cricket ground stands at the west end of the Racecourse. It hosted Durham County Cricket Club's first competitive match as a first-class county in 1992, against Leicestershire in the Sunday League, watched by a crowd of "somewhere close to 10,000".[11][12][13] Between 1992 and 1994, Durham CCC played seven games there in the County Championship, seven List A games and a three-day game against Australia, which was notable for being Ian Botham's last match as a professional cricketer.[14][15] Since Durham CCC moved into The Riverside Ground, which was completed in 1995, the ground has continued to host Durham University, Durham University Centre of Cricketing Excellence and Durham MCC University matches, which included 19 first-class matches against County sides as well as games in the MCC Universities Championship and BUCS Premier League.[14] It was also used from 2000 - 2008 as the home for Durham CCC's Academy team, which played 50 North East Premier League matches on the ground.[14] In 2007, it also hosted a three-day match between the touring West Indies team and the MCC.[16] and a one-day match between the MCC and the touring Bangladesh A team in 2008.[17] It hosted two women's one-day internationals in 2002 and a Durham Women one-day match against Lancashire Women in 2014, retrospectively considered to have been List A matches.[18]

The ground has hosted 28 first-class matches (excluding one abandoned without play) and 12 List A matches as of August 2022.[14] It has also hosted four Second XI Championship matches as of August 2024: three for Durham County Second XI in 2006, 2007 and 2023 and one in 2011 with Marylebone Cricket Club Universities as the home team.[19]

Game Information:

Game Type  | No. of Games

|

County Championship matches | 7
University matches (with first class status)  | 19
Tour matches  | 2
Total first class matches | 28
Limited-over county matches  | 7
Limited-over tour matches  | 1
Women's one-day internationals  | 2
Women's limited-over county matches  | 1
Women's limited-over tour matches  | 1
Total List A matches | 12

Game Statistics: first-class:

Category  | Information

|

Highest Team Score  | West Indies (534/8dec against MCC) in 2007
Lowest Team Score  | Durham UCCE (46 against Nottinghamshire) in 2006
Best Batting Performance  | Runako Morton (201 Runs for West Indies against MCC in 2007
Best Bowling Performance  | Simon Brown (7/70 for Durham against Australia) in 1992

Game Statistics: one-day matches:

Category  | Information

|

Highest Team Score  | Surrey (330/6 in 39 overs against Durham) in 1992
Lowest Team Score  | Derbyshire (169 in 44 overs against Durham) in 1993
Best Batting Performance  | Darren Bicknell (125 Runs for Surrey against Durham) in 1992
Best Bowling Performance  | Neil Lenham (5/28 for Sussex against Durham) in 1993

## Other sports facilities

[edit]

The Durham University pavilion at the Racecourse houses squash and fives courts

The Racecourse has around 20 acres (8 ha) of university sports fields. In addition to the cricket ground, these include grass pitches for rugby, football and hockey. The cricket pavilion also houses two fives courts and two squash courts.[20] The Durham Amateur Rowing Club boathouse is located at the east (up stream) end of the Racecourse, while St Cuthbert's Society Boat Club is at the west (down stream) end.

In the eastern part of the Racecourse is Durham City's Green Lane Cricket Ground, which has been used for cricket since at least 1866[21] and was used by Durham County Cricket Club (then a minor county) in the Minor Counties Cricket Championship in 1899, 1904 and 1975 to 1984,[22] and in the Minor Counties Trophy in 1988 and 1989.[23] It hosted a single List A match for the county in 1979[24] and has hosted 16 List A matches for Durham Women.[25] There is a bowling green adjacent to Green Lane cricket ground which is used by Durham City Bowling Club.[1]

## Durham Miners' Gala

[edit]

Main article: Durham Miners' Gala

Panorama of the Durham Miners' Gala at the Racecourse in 2014

Durham Miners' Gala was first held at the Racecourse in 1872, which was the gala's second edition. All editions of the gala have since been held at the Racecourse. The event is typically held in mid-July, though has on occasions been held in August.[4] The Racecourse is the location of the speeches held at the culmination of the Gala march. At its peak, 250,000 people attended the Gala.

## Durham Regatta

[edit]

Main article: Durham Regatta

Boats racing on the Wear past the Racecourse at Durham Regatta

Durham Regatta has been held annually at the Racecourse since 1834 and is the second oldest regatta in England. The 700 m (2,300 ft) short (regatta) course starts at the east end of the Racecourse and ends at the west end, while the 1,800 m (5,900 ft) long (championship) course continues around the city and through Elvet Bridge to finish just before Prebends Bridge.[26]

## See also

[edit]

* Maiden Castle sports centre – Durham University's other major sports complex
* Riverside Ground – Durham County Cricket Club's current home

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c "ASSESSMENT OF OPEN SPACES IN OUR NEIGHBOURHOOD" (PDF). Durham City Neighbourhood Planning Forum. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
2. ^ a b c d Simpson, David (28 November 2008). "Exploring the city racecourse with no horses". Northern Echo. Archived from the original on 28 March 2017. Retrieved 5 February 2009.
3. ^ "Durham City History". Durham City Tourism. Archived from the original on 9 April 2008. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
4. ^ a b Durham Miners' Gala Durham Miners' Museum; accessed 18 April 2008
5. ^ "Grand cricket match at Durham". Pictures in Print. Durham University. Retrieved 24 January 2025.
6. ^ Ralph Dellor (1 January 1992). Durham: birth of a First-class County. Bloomsbury. p. 38\. ISBN 978-0747511793.
7. ^ "Olympic Torch given warm welcome on University's Racecourse". Durham University. 18 June 2012. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
8. ^ "The Racecourse Ground, Riverside, Durham City (Durham City)". Keys to the Past. Durham County Council and Northumberland County Council. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
9. ^ "Durham University Library Special Collections Catalogue - DU Cricket Club". Durham University.
10. ^ "Durham University Ground". ESPN Cricinfo.
11. ^ Tim Wigmore (20 January 2019). "How Durham Became A First-Class County". Wisden.
12. ^ "Durham v Leicestershire in 1992". Cricket Archive. 2007. Retrieved 18 April 2008.
13. ^ Stuart Rayner (19 April 2017). "25 years on: Durham CCC's first day in cricket's big time, as told by those who witnessed it". Chronicle Live.
14. ^ a b c d "The Racecourse, Durham University Ground, Durham". Cricket Archive. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
15. ^ Botham, Ian (7 October 2010). Botham's Book of the Ashes. Mainstream Publishing. pp. 215–6\. ISBN 978-1845964917. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
16. ^ MCC v. West Indies ECB; accessed 18 April 2008
17. ^ "Bangladesh A vs MCC". CricInfo. ESPN. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
18. ^ "ICC appoints Working Group to review status of Afghanistan cricket; women's First Class, List A classification to align with men's game". Women's CricZone. Retrieved 8 August 2022.
19. ^ "Second Eleven Championship Matches played on The Racecourse, Durham". Association of Cricket Statisticians and Historians. Retrieved 3 August 2024.
20. ^ "PGCE Secondary - Physical Education". Durham University. Learning. Retrieved 18 August 2022.
21. ^ "Green Lane, Durham". Retrieved 14 August 2022.
22. ^ "Minor Counties Championship Matches played on Green Lane, Durham (13)". Retrieved 14 August 2022.
23. ^ "Minor Counties Trophy Matches played on Green Lane, Durham (2)". Retrieved 14 August 2022.
24. ^ "List A Matches played on Green Lane, Durham (1)". Retrieved 14 August 2022.
25. ^ "Women's List A Matches played on Green Lane, Durham (16)". Retrieved 14 August 2022.
26. ^ "Rowing 101". Durham Regatta. Retrieved 19 August 2022.

## External links

[edit]

* Cricinfo Website - Ground Page

* v
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Durham County Cricket Club

* Durham County Cricket Club
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Players|

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|

Previous grounds|

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* Grangefield Road, Stockton-on-Tees
* The Racecourse, City of Durham
* Park Drive, Hartlepool
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