Ipswich Electrifiers’ meeting at Inspire Suffolk in Lindbergh Road, Ipswich, has a particular resonance for the club, who are organising the Aspire! Conference on Saturday 19th October 2019.
In the 1700s, what is now Lindbergh Road was the starting line of the old racecourse. (Remember The Racecourse pub on Nacton Road, which is currently a Tesco Express?).
Race meetings were particularly popular with the cavalry officers who were stationed at Barrack Lane, between Norwich Road and Anglesea Road.
It’s believed that the very first steeplechase took place one night in 1803, from the barracks, across Nacton Heath, and out to the first steeple they found – which happened to be the tower of St Martin’s church in Nacton. (Towers were confusingly known in Suffolk as steeples too). And steeplechases have been crowdpullers ever since.
We’re launching our own steeplechase today. It’s called #spotaspire, and we’re releasing one spire a day for you to identify, in the run-up to the Aspire! Conference, on Saturday 19th October 2019 at Copdock & Old Ipswichians Cricket Club, at Copdock near Ipswich.
See our Facebook page for the first spire to spot!
(With thanks for information from the Ipswich Society)
Last Updated on August 19, 2023