Great Auclum National Speed Hill Climb was a motorcar course close to Burghfield Common in the English county of Berkshire. It was based in the grounds of a large country house, formerly owned by a family connected to

Huntley and Palmer Huntley & Palmers is a British company of biscuit makers originally based in Reading, Berkshire. Formed by Joseph Huntley in 1822, the company became one of the world's first global brands (chiefly led by George Palmer who joined in 1841) and ra ...

– the famous biscuit manufacturers at nearby

Reading, Berkshire Reading ( ) is a town and borough in Berkshire, Southeast England, southeast England. Located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the rivers River Thames, Thames and River Kennet, Kennet, the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 mot ...

. The hill climb was organised by the Hants and Berks Motor Club as a National Speed Hill Climb. This was part of the RAC

British Hill Climb Championship The British Hill Climb Championship (BHCC) is the most prestigious Hillclimbing championship in Great Britain. Hillclimbing in the British Isles has a rich history, for example, the hillclimb held at Shelsley Walsh, in Worcestershire, England is t ...

, and at long it was the shortest of events in the Championship. The course travelled nearly as far downhill as it did up, with a finish almost level with the start. ''Motor Sport'' reported : "The ¼-mile course embraces two sharp corners, one banked, and a twisty section, so that a premium is set on initial acceleration and low-speed cornering."

Early days

Prior to World War Two at least one event took place at Burghfield, as the event was then known. In 1939 ''Motor Sport'' listed a forthcoming event: 27 May 1939, Sporting O.D.C. Speed event, Burghfield, which was cancelled. An event took place in June organised by the Frazer-Nash and Frazer-Nash B.M.W. C.C. and Sporting O.D.C. "The postponed speed hill-climb up the private drive of Neil Gardner's (sic ) house at Burghfield Common happened on 24 June, complete with adjacent funfair and

Lord Nuffield William Richard Morris, 1st Viscount Nuffield, (10 October 1877 – 22 August 1963) was an English motor manufacturer and philanthropist. He was the founder of Morris Motors Limited and is remembered as the founder of the Nuffield Foundation, ...

to present the prizes." P.W. Neale set fastest time of the day in 27.0 secs "winning the 2-litre class from Fane's B.M.W."''Motor Sport'', August 1939, Page 239. See also: ''The Autocar'', 30 June 1939, Page 1128 (Photographs), Page 1132 (Report); ''Light Car'', 30 June 1939. For a description of the winning A.C.N. Special see ''Motor Sport'', April 1943, Pages 86–87, which refers to the "Burghfield Common Speed Trials." See also: John Bolster, ''Specials'', Pages 29–30, G.T. Foulis & Co Ltd, Reprinted 1971. Racing resumed in 1947 when: " Salvadori's '' monoposto'' Alfa-Romeo won its class in 25.2 sec., but couldn't be extended, and it was L.J.D. Bartlett's home-brewed Mercury Special which made f.t.d. in 23.5 sec." The following year

Ken Wharton Frederick Charles Kenneth Wharton (21 March 1916 – 12 January 1957) was a British racing driver from Smethwick, England. He competed in off-road trials, hillclimbs, and rallying, and also raced sports cars and single-seaters. He began racing ...

's Wharton Special "beautifully crisp and fearlessly handled, made f.t.d. in 23.34 sec., beating Stirling Moss (23.46 sec.), who drove absolutely superbly getting into third gear in his Cooper 500,..."

The end

The last event was held in 1974 and the site has now been re-developed for housing. However the course itself is still there as it was the rear drive to Great Auclum house, which has now been redeveloped. The track is in a poor state of repair and very overgrown.

Great Auclum Hill Climb past winners

Key: R = Course Record.

Course

Footnotes

External links

mgcars website archiveMap showing location of Great Auclum
{{BHCC venues Hillclimbs History of Berkshire Defunct motorsport venues in England Defunct sports venues in Berkshire Burghfield