The County Ground Stadium, also previously known as the Devon County Athletic Ground, was a

rugby union Rugby union football, commonly known simply as rugby union in English-speaking countries and rugby 15/XV in non-English-speaking world, Anglophone Europe, or often just rugby, is a Contact sport#Terminology, close-contact team sport that orig ...

greyhound racing Greyhound racing is an organized, competitive sport in which greyhounds are raced around an oval track. The sport originates from Hare coursing, coursing. Track racing uses an artificial lure (usually a form of windsock) that travels ahead of th ...

and

speedway Speedway may refer to: Racing Race tracks *Daytona International Speedway, a race track in Daytona Beach, Florida. *Edmonton International Speedway, also known as Speedway Park, a former motor raceway in Edmonton, Alberta. *Indianapolis Motor Spe ...

stadium in

Exeter Exeter ( ) is a City status in the United Kingdom, cathedral city and the county town of Devon in South West England. It is situated on the River Exe, approximately northeast of Plymouth and southwest of Bristol. In Roman Britain, Exeter w ...

Devon Devon ( ; historically also known as Devonshire , ) is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is bordered by the Bristol Channel to the north, Somerset and Dorset to the east, the English Channel to the south, and Cornwall to the west ...

. It was one of two separate venues in Exeter known as the County Ground, along with the still-used County Cricket Ground. It is also not to be confused with the Exeter Greyhound Stadium in Marsh Barton that also held greyhound racing and speedway.

Origins

The first sporting use of the site was the 19th century, where the land behind the church in St Thomas, just off Cowick Street, was used for cricket, football, wrestling, and other sports. By July 1841, over an acre of land had been developed to form a wrestling ring, with temporary raised covered seating. Wrestling was popular between hay and corn harvests, with prize money of 100 sovereigns. In 1888, the field was put up for sale, and in 1893 it was purchased by the newly formed Devon County Athletic Company Ltd, led by former mayor Robert Pople. The company build the first permanent grandstand with a capacity of 700. As well as the field, the ground had an elliptical cycling track around the edge. The company funded work on the ground by issuing of £6,000 of share capital in £1 share lots. The ground was used by users including: *

Exeter Cathedral School Exeter Cathedral School (ECS) is a 3–13 Mixed-sex education, mixed, Church of England, Private schools in the United Kingdom, private Day school, day and Boarding school, boarding Choir school, choir and Preparatory school (United Kingdom), pr ...

* Exeter Football Club (which was a rugby club) * Civil service cricket club * Exe Vale Cricket Club * an annual horse show

Early 20th century

In 1901, for the coronation of

Edward VII Edward VII (Albert Edward; 9 November 1841 – 6 May 1910) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 22 January 1901 until Death and state funeral of Edward VII, his death in 1910. The second child ...

, the ground hosted a sports day for the public, including egg and spoon race,

sack race A sack race or potato sack race is a competitive game in which participants place both of their legs inside a sack (usually a potato sack) or pillow case that reaches their waist or neck and hop forward from a starting point toward a finish ...

, and greasy pole, a military tournament the following day, and the Exeter Horse Show. In September 1905, the County Ground staged the opening match of the New Zealand rugby team's first-ever British tour, against the Devon County XV. New Zealand's "All Blacks" nickname was first coined in media reports of their shock 55–4 victory over Devon. By November 1905, the Devon County Athletic Group company reported that the stadium was in dire financial trouble, and faced closure within 6 months, but by 1907, they reported a healthy profit. In 1911, the ground was once again the focus of coronation celebrations for

George V George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until Death and state funeral of George V, his death in 1936. George w ...

, including a display by over one thousand schoolchildren, and a grand firework display in the evening. The ground closed for

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

, and in 1918 burned down, delaying reopening until 1921 with the construction of a new grandstand. In January 1929, Southern Speedways Ltd, led by Mr Seward Glanfield agreed a ten-year contract with the Devon Athletic Ground Company and the cycle track was ripped up, and replaced with a

motorcycle speedway Motorcycle speedway, usually referred to simply as speedway, is a motorcycle sport involving four and sometimes up to six riders competing over four clockwise, anti-clockwise laps of an oval circuit. The motorcycles are specialist machines that ...

track. The original company went into liquidation in 1930 after a year, but the track was taken on by a second promoter, but speedway stopped after only 2 years, closing in 1931 when the second promoting company went into liquidation. On Saturday 13 December 1930, promoters started independent (unaffiliated to a governing body)

, with the track holding races over 250, 440, 620 and 810 metres. The track was described as a tight circuit with an almost square shaped track. Main competitions included the Spring Cup, Derby and St Leger and they had an 'Inside Sumner' hare system.

From World War II

The ground again closed for the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, being used as a military transport hub, but reopened afterwards. In 1947, the

Exeter Falcons The Exeter Falcons were a Motorcycle speedway, speedway team based in the city of Exeter. The Falcons operated from 1947 to 2005 at the County Ground Stadium in Exeter. History Origins & 1920s Speedway began at the County Ground in 1929, ...

speedway team returned the sport to the ground, where they continued until 2005. The restart of speedway at the County Ground including the first speedway in the country to feature a steel safety fence. The ground also continued to host the

Exeter Chiefs Exeter Chiefs (officially Exeter Rugby Club) is an England, English professional rugby union club based in Exeter, Devon. They play in Premiership Rugby, England's top division of rugby. The club was founded in 1871 and since 2006 has played i ...

rugby union team as the primary tenant.

Closure

It was the home ground of Exeter Rugby Club (latterly

) prior to their move to

Sandy Park Sandy Park is a rugby union stadium and conference and banqueting centre in Exeter, England. It is the home ground of Exeter Chiefs, who from the 2010–11 season have been playing in Premiership Rugby, the top flight of the English rugby union ...

in 2006. Bellway Homes built 150 houses on the site shortly afterwards.

References

{{Motorcycle speedway tracks Sport in Exeter Defunct greyhound racing venues in the United Kingdom Defunct speedway venues in England Sports venues in Devon Defunct rugby union venues in England