GS Sporting and Rural Records of the Chevcley Estate. 



Chf.vei.ey. 



Origin of 

 Ascot Races. 



The Judge's 



Chairs 



on Newmarket 



Heath. 



Death of the 

 Duke. 



In the year 171 1 the Duke, in his capacity of Master of the 

 Horse, had to superintend the construction of the then newly 

 created racecourse at Ascot. In his accounts of that department 

 for this year we find he paid " to sundry workmen employed in 

 making and perfecting the round heat on Ascot Common, in the 

 months of July and August, ^^558 195. 5(;'. ; to a carpenter, 

 ;^I5 2s. 8d., for setting up posts, and other carpenters' work, on 

 the said common in the month of September;" and £1 is. 6d. 

 was paid to Mr. John Grape for engrossing the articles for the 

 Queen's Plate, to be run for there at that meeting. It may be 

 here mentioned that at this, the inauguration of Ascot Races, there 

 were two meetings, the first being held on iith and 12th August, 

 the second on 17th and i8th of September. At the latter the Duke 

 entered his grey horse Crofts for a ;^30 Plate. The result of the 

 races at those two meetings have not been preserved. Four years 

 afterwards it appears the Duke ordered a new chair to be made for 

 the use of the judges at Newmarket. " William Sandiver, car- 

 penter, for making a chair for the judges of the course at 

 Newmarket in the month of September, 1715, ;if 5 ; Richard 

 Brightman, for painting the chair steps, &c., at Newmarket, in the 

 month of September, 1715, £1 8s." The judge's chair used to be 

 mounted on casters, or wheels, and moved to the different winning 

 posts as required. It will be seen by the above extract wheels or 

 casters are not mentioned in the construction of this one. It may, 

 therefore, only have reference to the one opposite the winning post 

 on what is now known as the Old Cambridgeshire Course, which 

 was a fixture. 



The Duke of Somerset died at his Sussex seat at Petworth, 

 December 2, 1748, and was buried at Salisbury Cathedral. By 

 his first wife, who died November 23, 1722, he had issue, 

 Algernon Earl of Hertford, afterwards seventh Duke, two other 

 sons, and three daughters. He married, secondly, on February 4, 

 1726, Charlotte, third daughter of Daniel Finch, second Earl of 

 Nottingham, by whom he had issue : Frances, who married John 



