Compare Hotels Near Chester Racecourse

Cheshire is distinguished by its beautiful countryside, a landscape of dairy farmland, herds of grazing cattle and picturesque villages and towns. It's the perfect landscape for sporting activities and outdoor leisure pursuits such as walking and rambling. It has long-established golf clubs such as Chester Golf Club, and horse racing is also very popular here. Chester Racecourse is one of the finest in the country, and you should get along there if you can from your Cheshire hotel for a day at the races. Chester Racecourse has the distinction of being the oldest racecourse in England which is still in use, so it's a really special place to visit.

Cheshire Hotels for a Day Out at Chester Racecourse

Horseracing has always been a popular sport in the Chester area, and records of it go back well into the 16th century. Although Chester Racecourse is relatively small, at 1.8km in length, it is also one which draws in some of the most enthusiastic crowds, and you'll have a wonderful day here from your Cheshire hotel. Of particular interest to history buffs is the raised mound in the middle of the field. This is adorned with a small 'rood' cross which gives the course its other name of 'Roodee', or Rood Eye. It's connected to a local legend about a statue of the Virgin Mary which was supposedly buried here after falling and causing the death of a local gentlewoman during a thunderstorm. It's colourful touches like this that make many English towns and villages such delightful places to visit.

Chester Racecourse from Cheshire Hotels

The racecourse site has seen quite a few of the lost traditions of rural England, in fact. It was home for instance to the medieval Chester Midsummer Watch Parade which was banned along with many other fun activities by the Puritanical Oliver Cromwell, and eventually abolished back in 1677. It's nice to see that people today are still having a good time here!

When you visit Chester Racecourse from your nearby Cheshire hotel or guesthouse, you'll find it very handy for getting to the local restaurants, shops and bars.