The Starting Chair

The Starting Chair, Moor Park

The Starting Chair is a stone in Preston that may have been a guide stone for an important route.

The stone has a benchmark at its base, which was used to calculate the height above sea level when mapping the area.  The first Ordnance Survey maps where made in the middle of the nineteenth century, so it (the Cut Mark) was probably made at that time.

It is called the “Starting Chair” because it is also said to be the starting line for horse races that were carried out here before the park existed. The area used to be called Preston Moor and was used as rough grazing ground for cattle owned by a small number of freemen of the borough.  Preston also had historical organised horse racing at Fulwood Moor (now the location of the Fulwood Barracks) and later at Penwortham Holme.  However, there is also evidence of racing in Penwortham dating back to 1690.

William Yates' & Thomas Billinge's Map from 1786

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The horse races that were staged on Preston Moor (now Moor Park) in July 1786 marked a raising of the stakes in the political competition between the corporation of Preston and the Stanley family, headed by the earl of Derby.

Two months earlier, the election contest between the corporation-backed Tory candidates and the Whigs fielded by the Stanley faction had scandalised the country, with armed mobs terrorising the town and Stanley supporters dunking the mayor under the town pump.

Since 1721 and probably earlier, horse races had been a regular fixture in the sporting life of the town, but after the clash between the corporation and the Stanleys at the election, the Stanleys withdrew their support from the races and established their own racecourse on Duchy of Lancaster land on Fulwood Moor.

The first race was held on Fulwood Moor on 7 August 1786, and the stewards were Sir Henry Hoghton and Colonel John Burgoyne, the two Stanley candidates elected to Parliament at the infamous election. For the next five years, the rival races were held in tandem. Racing was in the Derby blood. The Derby, now probably the most famous horse race in Britain, was first run in 1780, and was named for the 12th Earl of Derby.

The last corporation races were held on Preston Moor in 1791. The starting block for the races, known as the ‘Starting Chair’, is still in place on Moor Park. It is not known when it was placed there or where it was taken from. One thought is that it was a medieval guide stone. There is the base of medieval cross at the duck pond entrance to the park.

Preston Races, 1830 - The Fulwood ‘Derby’

The Fulwood ‘Derby’ was held annually until 1833, when the Stanley family abandoned Preston and their Preston mansion, Patten House, in Church Street, which was pulled down soon after.

Later, the corporation staged horse races on Penwortham Holme during Guild Week in 1842, and again in 1845 and for the next three years after. The 1848 races were the last held in Preston. They were possibly abandoned because a running fight between soldiers from Fulwood Barracks and the Preston police at that year’s event meant they were deemed to disreputable.

Spectators and competitors at the Penwortham Holme races would have had to ford or ferry themselves to the events: the Holme was an island at that time.

By Peter Smith - Preston History

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Horse races were held in Penwortham in March 1690, according to the following entry in Thomas Bellingham's diary, although he does not say whereabouts in Penwortham. On Penworthan Holme?

'Ye 25th. Very fayr. A horse race at Penwortham, where Krichley’s horse Beat Rigby’s mare'.

By Peter Smith - Preston History

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DARWEN METHODISM AN OUTCOME OF PRESTON RACES.

About 1785 a dreadful accident occurred at Preston races by the falling of the grand stand, by which some were killed and many injured. On the day after the accident, Mr. Banning, a local preacher, of Blackburn, had occasion to come to Preston. On his way he overtook several men coming to the races. He entered into conversation with them, and expressed his amazement that, after the dreadful catastrophe, they were coming to the same scene of gambling, wickedness, and death. One of them replied, "every man to his fancy." "Then your fancy," said Mr. Banning, "leads you to the races, and perhaps before night you may be killed, and your soul plunged into hell." These words made a deep impression, for one of them turned from his companions and went home. Some time after he met Mr. Banning, and told him how his words of warning, on the way to Preston racecourse, had sunk into his soul, and led him to live a better life. He further said that he came from Darwen, where there was no place of worship. Mr. Banning requested him to opon his house for preaching on the Sabbath following, to which he gave his consent. The novelty of the occasion drew together a motley group of hearers, some mocked, some laughed, and some were convinced of sin. From that day to this, Methodism has had a place and a people in Darwen. In the year 1786, Preston is credited with 25s. in the Colne Circuit Steward's Book. The September quarterly income for that year reached the marvellous sum of £14 178. 9d., including a balance of £2 133. 9d. from the previous quarter. On the expenditure side we find that, after paying the allowances of two ministers, and £4 5s. for removal expenses, they still had left a balance in hand of 18s. The following were the ministers of Colne Circnit: The Revs. Edward Jackson, Samuel Bardsley, and James Ridall. The work continued to prosper. This year 260 wore added to the Church. Mr. Wesley, in a letter to Mr. Bardsley, says, "You send me good news concerning the progress of the work of God in Colne Circuit. Brother Jackson should advise Brother Ridall not to please the devil by preaching himself to death."

Taken from 'The makers of Wesleyan Methodism in Preston and the relation of Methodism to the Temperance & Tee-total Movements' by Pilkington, W

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Further reading and sources of information

The Starting Chair post on Facebook - Preston History Group

https://www.facebook.com/groups/historyofpreston/permalink/395452966404418/

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On this day … 18 July 1786 - Preston History

https://prestonhistory.com/2023/07/18/on-this-day-18-july-1786/

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Doctor Syntax - A Pub named after a horse that was named after a cartoon character

https://www.mylancs.uk/2024/01/doctor-syntax-pub-named-after-horse.html

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William Yates' & Thomas Billinge's Map of The county Palatine of Lancaster from 1786

https://maps.nls.uk/view/220113070

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The Starting Chair, Moor Park, Preston - Lancashire Past

https://lancashirepast.com/2018/10/21/the-starting-chair-moor-park-preston/

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The makers of Wesleyan Methodism in Preston and the relation of Methodism to the Temperance & Tee-total Movements by Pilkington, W - Internet Archive

https://archive.org/details/themakersofwesl00pilkuoft/page/n1/mode/2up

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