Standing in a field near Four Mile Stable Farm, along side the A1303 (the Newmarket to Bottisham road) close to where it crosses the A11 spur off the A14, is a square wooden post. Looked after, and carefully ploughed around, by the farmer it represents a significant feature in Newmarket’s history.
The wooden post in a field next to the A1303.
The wooden post is in fact a replica of the Beacon Course starting post in its original 17th and 18th century location.
The replica Beacon Post with the A14 in the background.
The full story behind the Beacon Course and what happened to the original post can be read on the Museum Treasure of the Month page for March 2011.
The replica Beacon Post facing south-west.
The Beacon Course is just a part of the story explored in The Heath and the Horse exhibition at the National Horseracing Museum.
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If previous blogs are not visible: click here to return to the ‘The Museum Blog’ page. They should then miraculously appear if you keep scrolling down.
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Daniel Dawson was an ex-groom who had become a tout and who is reputed to have lodged at the Five Bells Inn on St Mary’s Square in Newmarket in 1811.
Just up the road from St Mary’s Square, on Mill Hill, was Richard Prince’s stables. Prince trained a number of horses that were entered for the Newmarket Spring Meeting that year, some of which had been heavily backed. As was the custom then Prince would water his horses after a strong gallop from his own locked troughs situated on the Heath near the Well Gap.
After drinking from one of Prince’s troughs four of his horses subsequently died from poison.
A notice had been posted in 1809, after two horses belonging to Mr Stevens were suspected to have been poisoned, stating that Mr Weatherby offered a 100 guinea reward to anyone providing information to the conviction of the perpetrator. A second notice was posted after the second occurence in 1811, raising the reward to 500 guineas.
Notice in the Racing Calendar, 1811
Daniel Dawson soon came under suspicion. His landlady is said to have found a poison bottle amonst his possessions. Evidence accumulated and Dawson was arrested and sent for trial.
To find out what happened next : Go to the Museum’s website, www.nhrm.co.uk , and check out The Museum Treasure of the Month for Winter 2010/2011.
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If previous blogs are not visible: click here to return to the ‘The Museum Blog’ page. They should then miraculously appear if you keep scrolling down.
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