The Carlisle Bell is a historic British
flat
Flat or flats may refer to:
Architecture
* Flat (housing), an apartment in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Australia and other Commonwealth countries
Arts and entertainment
* Flat (music), a symbol () which denotes a lower pitch
* Flat (soldier), ...
horse race, first contested in 1599 and still run today. The race's name relates to the bells which were awarded to the winners of the race in the reign of
Elizabeth I
Elizabeth I (7 September 153324 March 1603) was List of English monarchs, Queen of England and List of Irish monarchs, Ireland from 17 November 1558 until her death in 1603. Elizabeth was the last of the five House of Tudor monarchs and is ...
. These bells are reputed to be the oldest horse racing prizes in Britain
[ and are now held at the Carlisle Guildhall Museum.][
It is run at ]Carlisle Racecourse
Carlisle Racecourse is a thoroughbred horse racing venue located in the village of Blackwell just outside Carlisle in Cumbria, England. The course has been on its present site since 1904, when it moved there from the area known as The Swifts clo ...
over a distance of 7 furlongs and 173 yards (1,566 metres) and it is scheduled to take place each year in June alongside another historic race the Cumberland Plate.
The bells
There are two bells. The larger one, 2 1/2 inches in diameter, was donated by Lady Dacre in 1559 and bears the inscription:
The second, smaller bell is inscribed ''1599 H.B.M.C'' which is believed to stand for "Henry Baines, Mayor of Carlisle".
Civic records from the 17th century list the bells among four racing prizes competed for at Carlisle.[
The bells were thought to have been lost for many years, but were rediscovered in a box in the town clerk's office in the late 19th century.
]
Winners since 1988
See also
* Horse racing in Great Britain
Horse racing is the second largest spectator sport in Great Britain, and one of the longest established, with a history dating back many centuries. According to a report by the British Horseracing Authority it generates £3.39 billion total d ...
* List of British flat horse races
A list of notable flat horse races which take place annually in Great Britain, under the authority of the British Horseracing Authority (BHA), including all conditions races which currently hold Group 1 Group 1 may refer to:
* Alkali metal, a chem ...
References
* Racing Post
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Bibliography
*
*{{cite book , author-link=Joseph Strutt (engraver and antiquary), last=Strutt , first=Joseph , title=The Sports and Pastimes of the People of England from the Earliest Period , url=https://books.google.com/books?id=eJwSAAAAYAAJ&q=carlisle+bells+horse , access-date=21 May 2013 , year=1801 , publisher= Methuen
Flat races in Great Britain
Carlisle Racecourse
Open mile category horse races
Recurring sporting events established before 1750