Newmarket

Newmarket is best known as the home of English horse racing and is located in a corner of Suffolk that nudges into Cambridgeshire. Originally a small village, Newmarket's transformation in fortunes is due its association with racing and royalty which extends back into the 17th century. The crucial event was the construction of Newmarket Palace by King James and a lodge for what would be the future King Charles I; they both loved the area and made frequent visits - as did grandson / son King Charles II who became a devotee of horse racing. Although the original palace and lodge are gone, a small portion of Charles II's residence still exists in the two lower storeys of the nineteenth century house known as Palace House Mansion (the bulk was swept away in the Regency period).

Newmarket is an easy 15 mile drive from Duxford and as you enter the town there is a statue on the roundabout outside the National Stud (a thoroughbred horse breeding farm) that gives an indication of what Newmarket is all about. The National Horse Racing Museum in the town centre is an interesting visit and well worth a look around. Back in town, we pass the Jockey Club Rooms - where there is a magnificent statue of the horse "Hyperion" in the courtyard - and see the beautiful clock tower at the top of Newmarket High Street that commemorates Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee in 1887. We also pass Nell Gwynn's cottage where there is an image of King Charles II on the wall; Nell was a "celebrity" actress of the Restoration Period and a long-time mistress of the king.

Newmarket is all about horse racing though, and a few years ago I took my father, a racing fan, to Newmarket Races to celebrate his 80th birthday year. A couple of pictures of our "day at the races" are included for completeness (and in his memory).Leggi altro