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Stowell Park Golf Club, Northleach. (1890s - WW2)

A private course situated on the Vestey Estate at Stowell Park near Northleach.

A prominent lady golfer in the early 1890s was Lady Margaret Scott. She won the first three British Ladies Amateur Championships. In her first two wins she beat Issette Pearson in 1893 by 7&5 and in 1894 by 3&2, in 1895 she was victorious over Emma Lythgoe winning 5&4. Scott retired from competitive golf shortly after her win in 1895 at the age of 21. She was the daughter of John Scott the 3rd Earl of Eldon who laid out the fine nine-hole golf course at Stowell Park, his Gloucestershire estate. Two of her brothers were also successful golfers, Michael Scott won the Amateur Championship in 1933, Osmund Scott was runner up in the same tournament in 1905.

Results of matches played against the Shipton "Cleeks" in April 1891.

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach. Results of matches against Shipton Cleeks in April 1891.

"Golf" Friday 8 May 1891. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

On Thursday 30 March 1893, in perfect weather, Lord Eldon took a team from Stowell Park to play a match against Minchinhampton, result below.

Minchinhampton Golf Club   Stowell Park Golf Club  
H V Woolright 1 Lady Margaret Scott 0
W W Chamberlain 0 E H Buckland 5
Rev. E H Hawkins 6 Hon. E Scott 0
C A Gillanders 4 F H Crawley 0
Lawrence Grist 6 Hon. O Scott 0
William Davies 0 H W Kaye 0
Clement Ritchie 0 The Earl of Eldon 6
A W Waller 4 Hon. M Scott 0
W Margetson 1 H E Rose 0
E P Little 8 J J Branston 0
E Jenner Davies 0 Hon. D Scott 8
J T Woolright 0 G Goodeve 1
  30   20

Report on Lady Margaret Scott in June 1893.

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach, Glous. Report on Lady Margaret Scott in June 1893.

Northern Daily Telegraph Tuesday 27 June 1893. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a match played on Cleeve Common on 6 April 1894.

 

Stowell Park Golf Club, Northleach. Result of a match against Cheltenham Golf club in 1894.

"Golf" Friday 20 April 1894. Image © THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

 

Result of a match played at Minchinhampton in April 1894.

Minchinhampton Golf Club   Stowell Park Golf Club  
A S Winterbotham 0 J G Heathcote 0
R Lewis Grist 0 O Scott 4
Rev. E H Hawkins 2 Major S Harding 0
Lawrence Grist 3 D Scott 0
F H Stewart 0 G Goodeve, jun. 1
G A Gillanders 5 The Earl of Eldon 0
W A Lucy 3 M Scott 0
A W Waller 0 H K Rose 3
E P Little 5 R Sealey 0
W Davies 0 G W Goodeve 1
  18   9

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach, Glous. Article from The Tatler March 1903.

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach, Glous. Article from The Tatler March 1903.

Above from The Tatler Wednesday 4 March 1903. Image © Illustrated London News Group. Image created courtesy of THE BRITISH LIBRARY BOARD.

 

Brian Munday recalls “It fell into disuse during WW2 when the estate was taken over by Canadian officers. I played my first golf shot after the war when the butler to the Vesteys gave me a hickory 2 iron that I still have. The course was used for grazing sheep which helped to keep the grass short. There was also an excellent cricket ground on the estate”

I have contacted the Stowell Park Estate and they confirm that there was a golf course there but unfortunately no records exist. They did say that the cart-horse used for mowing the fairways and greens wore special shoes to avoid damaging the turf, these accessories were quite common at the time.

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach. Picture of Stowell Park House.

 

Ordnance Survey Map from the 1900s showing Stowell Park.

 

Stowell Park Golf Course, Northleach. O.S. Map from the 1900s showing Stowell Park.

O.S. Map Revised 1900; © Crown Copyright {year of publication 1903}.