The Chilham Chase


Chilham Castle in Kent celebrated it’s 400th anniversary over the weekend, which culminated in runners re-enacting the Dudley Digges Memorial Chase, last run over 150 years ago. In his will, Sir Dudley Digges left prize money for a race to be run each year ‘by young men and maidens of good conversation from Chilham and its surrounds’. Over time the racers became less orderly, indeed even disorderly and the Wildman family, owners of the castle at the time in true Victorian rectitude, called a stop to the proceedings! On Sunday the race got underway once again with a “bang” and […]