IT'S now a large, empty field in Dunfermline with no visible signs of the days when it hosted the sport of kings and squeezed in 15,000 seats for the visit of the great American showman, Buffalo Bill.

A century ago, the Urquhart Racecourse, west of McKane Park, would have been full of the sound of thundering hooves and cheers as fans and jockeys urged their horse to greater efforts round the track.

It's a little-known tale but after discovering the town's nags to riches past, Brian Fraser, a high school Maths and computing teacher from Cairneyhill, got the bit between his teeth and determined to find out more.

He told the Press: "I've always had an interest in local history so I spend hours looking at old maps for things to investigate, even more so during lockdown.

"I'd been for a wander down there, by McKane Park, in the field adjacent and near Logie House, on the way to Crossford.

"I had noticed the racecourse on the old OS maps and tried to see what I could find out about it.

"It seems there were meetings periodically in Dunfermline throughout the 1800s with events becoming more regular in the final two or three decades of the century."

Brian found a website on our racing history that said a Silver Bell was contested in Dunfermline as early as 1610, although it was two centuries later that regular race meetings were held in the town with records of a two-day event in July 1801.

It was on land at Easter Gillet Farm, west of Grange Road between Dunfermline and Rosyth.

Another event there, in August 1851, reportedly drew a crowd of more than 20,000 while a meeting in July 1869 drew train excursions from Perth, Dundee and Glasgow and had principal races called the Dunfermline Stakes, Wellwood Stakes and Elgin Stakes.

During the day, the Lassodie Instrumental Band "discoursed sweet music" to keep the crowd entertained.

Meetings continued for the next five years until a final card took place on a course at East Baldridge in 1876.

However, less formal contests, advertised as ‘Dunfermline Races and Games’ and including pony races and trotting races, continued into the early years of the 20th century. It formed part of a wider festive occasion with stalls and sideshows.

In July 1882, competing organisers held races on the same day in fields at Baldridge and Colton, near Wellwood, with the principal race, the Dunfermline Cup, offering a prize of 30 sovereigns.

Brian said Urquhart Racecourse opened in 1883 and a grandstand, which was constructed on the west side of the field, is shown clearly on the OS map from 1895.

Races there included the Dunfermline Burgh Handicap, with 35 sovereigns going to the winner, as well as the Urquhart Stakes, Merchants Plate, Members Plate and Farmers Stakes.

He added: "I believe the venture ran until the early 1930s although the gee-gees probably ceased around the turn of the century.

"Public events, such as flower shows, cattle shows, Highland Games and children's gala days etc were held there too and continued into the 1900s after the horses had stopped running.

"Dunfermline Rugby Club also played there for a couple of years (1904 to 1906) before moving to McKane Park.

"There are various reports in the British Newspaper Archive about race meetings, disturbances at race meetings and, of course, the visit of Buffalo Bill in August 1904."

William Frederick Cody was the famous American buffalo hunter whose exploits as an Indian fighter, actor and impresario, as well as his touring Wild West Show, made him one of the first global celebrities.

Brian said: "They reckon at one point his was the most recognisable face on the planet.

"The itinerary was quite astonishing and all done by train (three of them).

"The wagons rolled in from Falkirk at dawn and construction of a 15,000-seat covered arena began in preparation for two shows later in the day.

"It was like a massive travelling circus, the entourage numbered 800 people and 500 horses.

"Almost certainly, the location would have been chosen due to the goods line running alongside the site, adjacent to today’s rugby stadium.

"The whole caboodle had to then be dismantled and taken to Kirkcaldy."

He continued: "I think he did 29 Scottish dates in 30-odd days, all by train, and he went as far north as Inverness.

"A personal appearance by Bill was guaranteed at each one and the finale featured powerful electric arc lamps – a novelty at the time.

"By no means was the extravaganza restricted to American themes, and military personnel from all over the globe were involved.

"There are anecdotal tales of the Pitfirrane Hotel being mobbed by cowboys and native Americans. Must have been quite a sight for the locals!"

It played a huge part in Dunfermline's sport and social life but there's nothing left of the racecourse now, although a remaining high boundary wall on one side may have been part of the venue.

Brian is keen to find out more and said: "I found it quite surprising.

"I'd heard about the racing heritage of Dunfermline but, over the years, many tracks closed down and even during my dad's lifetime (he's 78), a lot of racecourses were shut.

"There was also a greyhound track in Rumblingwell, where the old MFI was (now a housing estate) at Targate Road, that shut in the late 1960s.

"I'm not sure what distances they would have run at the Urquhart racecourse, I saw reports of three or four horses so it must have been quite tight for space, it wasn't exactly the rolling downs of Newmarket."