11 bygone photos show the Shropshire town once synonymous with horse racing - and it's not Ludlow
With the Cheltenham festival in full swing this week, a Shropshire historian has unearthed some pictures from when a town in the county had a proud horse racing history.
While the county has a thriving race course in the shape of Ludlow Racecourse, the south Shropshire town never used to have a monopoly on the ‘sport of kings’.
Bridgnorth historian, Clive Gwilt, says his home town was once synonymous with horse racing.
“Horse racing in the area dates back to about 1690, when meetings were held on Morfe Common,” said Clive, who has authored numerous books on Bridgnorth’s history.
“These events were organised with support from the town corporation and were popular social gatherings.”
He said his archives show that the earliest recorded meeting took place in August 1690.
