THE STORY OF FARLEIGH CASTLE 1938 TO 2008

 

On Whit-Monday 6^th June 1938 the West Wilts club organised the first ever meeting at Farleigh Castle, just south of Bath. The West Wilts Club had been running Grass track events at other venues in the area since 1933, but in 1938 club member Ken Raymond found what he thought was an excellent piece of land at Farleigh Hungerford. At the time the land was owned by the Greenhill Brothers who were motor-cycle enthusiasts and were quite happy for the land to be used by the West Wilts club. That first circuit was a third of a mile long and consisted of a downhill bend, a right and left turn on the flat, with a gradual uphill rise to the finish straight.

 

Greenhill Brothers – Original Landowners

 

FARLEIGH CASTLE SPEEDWAY

This first meeting was well advertised, and with admission at 1/- what a bargain for a great day out? Included in that first programme was an advert for a new Ford Eight motor car, which could be purchased for £120 from E Dennis of Castle Street, Trowbridge. On that day there were 4,170 paying spectators.

 

Farleigh Castle Programme, 1939

FULL RESULTS OF THE FIRST MEETING

Unlimited Novice Final – 1^st JR Lewis, 2^nd E Gawler, 3^rd W Kelly

350cc Final – 1^st Stan Lanfear, 2^nd Roger Wise

Unlimited Final (club members only) – 1^st Richie Reynolds, 2^nd Colin Mead, 3^rd G Sleightholme

Unlimited Final (open) – 1^st Richie Reynolds, 2^nd Colin Mead, 3^rd Roger Wise

Handicap Final – 1^st KL Witts, 2^nd Stan Lanfear, 3^rd Roger Wise

Fastest Six – 1^st Roger Wise, 2^nd FG Philpotts, 3^rd Colin Mead

Track Record – 42.4 mph

 

Top Grass Track Action – (29) Ivan Kessell

 

SIDECARS AT FARLEIGH CASTLE

There were not any Sidecars at the first Farleigh Castle meeting. They were however at the second meeting on 10^th July 1938.

 

Flat Out Sidecar Racing – (77) Reg Lewis

 

WORLD WAR TWO

When World War Two broke out the Farleigh Castle Circuit was just one and half years old, but the great meetings it had already had set it as venue that would have more meetings once the war was over.

 

 

 

POST WAR EVENTS

In 1946 – with World war two over the West Wilts Club reformed and it ran its first post war event on April 28^th 1946 – there was much anticipation for this meeting unfortunately however it was a very wet affair – now we know what that is like!!! There was still however nearly 8,000 fans at this first post war meeting.

 

THE MAYBUG SCRAMBLE

In the 1950s the success of grass track events was declining and in the late 1950’s the fields of Farleigh Castle lay idle – but on may 12^th 1963 the West Wilts Club organised a open to centre meeting entitled the “Maybug Scramble”. It had 100 entries including sidecars. The Sidecar class was dominated by Mick Guilford and in the solos the racing was between John Giles and Ken Messenger.

 

TV AND FARLEIGH CASTLE

It was in 1962 that the first meeting was televised from Farleigh Castle. It was the club’s final meeting of the year and it was to feature on the BBC Grandstand series. There were 5,000 spectators that day with millions watching on TV around Britain.

 

GRAND PRIX RACING

The First Grand Prix to be held at Farleigh Castle was in July 1966. It was also Don Rickman’s first-ever Grand Prix win. On the day Don Rickman won one race and Jeff Smith won one race, with Don being declared the winner on overall time. The overall that day was first Don Rickman (Metisse), second Jeff Smith (BSA), third Chris Horsfield (CZ), forth Dave Bickers (CZ) and fifth Vic Eastwood (BSA). On that day Don Rickman’s’ win was watched by a record 21,000 fans.

 

 

Don Rickman flying high in 1966

 

 

A NEW START GATE

In 1968 members of the West Wilts Club decided that a new type of start gate was needed to ensure that the Farleigh Castle circuit remained at the forefront of motocross. Of steel construction, it was built to enable 45 riders on one line and the design allowed the gate to fold away from the riders, falling flat on the ground. After seeing this gate in action, it became the norm for British Championship events and was eventually made a rule by the FIM for all World Championship events. This is the start gate that is still in use today.

 

1967 402cc Works Jawa – British GP Farleigh Castle

NEW LAND OWENERS

In 1970 the Greenhill brothers decided to retire from the farm and the new land owner was Miss E A Cartwright.  At the time of the sale of the farm a petition was circulated around the village and 38 out of 40 residents signed in favour of racing continuing.

 

Miss Cartwright – Present Day Land Owner

CONTROVERSY

It was in 1977 that one of the most memorable and talked about controversies hit the Farleigh Castle Grand Prix. The Grand Prix was won by Bad Brad Lackey. However it was the CCM bikes that were the talk of the pits. It had been thought by some Grand Prix insiders that the CCMs were not running above the maximum 500cc capacity. It was declared by the Jury at the Farleigh Castle meeting that all 4-stroke machines finishing in the top five positions in either race be stripped and measured and this included the CCM machines of John Banks and Bob Wright. Banks’s CCM was measured and found to be within the limits but CCM refused to allow the machine of Bob Wright to be measured and he was therefore disqualified from the event. The question of whether the CCM was legal, to this day remains a mystery!!!

NEW CIRCUIT DESIGN

The current circuit as you see it today with its first left hand bend was first introduced in 1978. This new design allowed for the development of the start and finish area, allowing for the introduction of a grandstand and separate sponsors guest facilities.

 

Arial Shot of the Farleigh Castle Circuit

 

GRAHAM NOYCE – WORLD CHAMPION

The Grand Prix in 1979 was a spectacle of great riding from the soon to be World Champion Graham Noyce. In front of a record crowd of 35,000 he rode to a splendid Grand Prix victory and that year went on to take the World Championship title – and today he is back again!!

 

Graham Noyce in Top Action

 

 

 

 

1985 –DAVE THORPE

Few will forget the happenings of the 1985 500cc Grand Prix. Dave Thorpe was having the year of his life and was set to take the World Title. With this the crowds came in their thousands all hoping for a home victory. In race one Thorpe took the opening victory ahead of Malherbe, with Kurt Nicoll, Dave Watson and Mervyn Anstie, 4^th, 5^th and 6^th. It was however race two that most people remember. As the pack made their way around the first corner, Thorpe was on the ground. Over the next 20 minutes the watching crowd both around the circuit and on TV watched what can only be describe as one of the best recoveries ever made by a Grand Prix star as Thorpe made his way from dead last to first. The enormous effort however took its toll and Malherbe managed to squeeze past just laps from the end to take the race win and the overall for the day with Thorpe second – what a man – what a champion!

Dave Thorpe – World 500cc Champion 1985, 1987 & 1989

 

FARLEIGH CASTLE – THE FUTURE

The question has to be – will there ever be a Grand Prix at Farleigh Castle again. I would probably think no – but whatever happens in the future, Farleigh Castle has a past with stories and achievements second to none. It has made dreams and produced fairy tales and above all it has to be one of the best natural circuits in the world. Whatever you do today, as you ride around this famous circuit take a moment to think about the great events that have taken place here, from the first Grass track in 1938 to the Grand Prix in 1989, and savour every bump and every corner because you’re riding on one great historic venue!!!!