Place Name
Chelmsford Racecourse in Essex was active from at least 1759. The course initially staged Flat racing before switching to National Hunt racing in 1892. But as this was a public open space, punters could watch the races without paying. Chelmsford went bust in April 1935. The name itself is derived from a ford over the river Ceolmaer which is now known as the Chelmer. This is one of a cluster of roads that were built by the council to form the 548 property Racecourse estate which was laid out in the 1930s on what had been agricultural land belonging to Hacton Farm. The Second World War interrupted building, which was continued with the return of peace in the 1940s.
