Quote:
Originally Posted by WasanActonlad
Absolutely fabulous reading...
One wonders where in the vacinity of rhosnessney these races took place...
First thing that comes to mind is how old is the "Gate"...
Presuming there was some base for the races...
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Public houses known as ‘The Gate, The Gate Hangs High, The Gate Hangs Well’ etc... were usually named after a town gate, church gate, manor house gate, or as in this case, either a toll gate, which was located nearby on the junction of Rhosnesni Lane and Holt Road, or the Rhosnesni gate onto Acton Park.
The name was also meant to imply that the pub gate was always open for guests.
The current pub was built in the 19th Century and first known as The Gate Inn, but had changed its name to The Gate Hangs High by 1901.
The pub sign often included a verse ‘ This Gate Hangs High, and Hinders None. Refresh and Pay, and Travel On’. Sometimes, the reverse of the sign would say ‘Call at The Gate, And Taste The Tap. Drink and Be Merry, But Lay off The Strap’ meaning- don’t ask for credit.
The Pub had its own bowling Green and backed onto a series of fields, on the town side of Rhosnesni Lane, which were, at one time, a part of the common fields.
These common fields occupied most of the space between Rhosnesney Lane and Holt Road from what is now Dean Road as far as
Chester Road, including Maes Y Dre (The Town Field) prior to the 16th Century, although it was not common in the sense that it belonged to the community, but rather was land made up of small strips, called quillets, which were owned by numerous people. Some of these quillets were gradually bought up by the Jeffrey’s of Acton Hall from the 17th Century, although the house was sold in 1747, eventually passing into the hands of Sir Foster Cunliffe, who created Acton Park in 1785.
The Cunliffes also built The Greyhound pub on Holt Road, Rhosnessney, although the land on this town side of Rhosnesney Lane was distinct from Acton Park, and I believe that it was in this location- between The Gate Hangs High and The Greyhound, where the Rhosnesney Races may have taken place (as attached) though neither of these pubs were built at that time. Even so, the locals referred to this location as a common in the 18th Century, and both The Gate and The Greyhound would periodically hold athletic sports days and fetes, which were attended by hundreds of people on these fields, in the 19th Century. It may well be that this location had been established as a venue for community events, during the days of the Rhosnesney Races prior to 1739. This is all just circumstantial though, as I have not found any maps or any other documentation which gives a precise location.