The historic Galleywood Racecourse on Galleywood Common was the scene of the Chelmsford Races for at least 176 years from 1759 to 1935.
It was one of the oldest racecourses in the country and probably dated back to the days of King Charles II (1660-1680). In 1770 the Chelmsford races received the stamp of Royal Approval, when King George III announced that he was graciously pleased to give the sum of 100 guineas as prize money to be called the 'Queen’s Plate.'
The Galleywood race meetings in the summer, with public breakfasts, assemblies, concerts and balls, were the great social occasions of the year. They also had all the additional attractions of prize-fighting, dog-fights, rat-hunts, cock-fighting, dancing booths, gambling booths and beer and food booths.
In 1876 it was reported that the attendance at the races was "not so numerous as of yore", and that they were being run at a loss. In 1887 the Royal Plate was discontinued. A decisive turnaround of the fortunes of the Galleywood Race Stand Company happened in 1892 when it was decided to hold Steeplechase and Hunt meetings under the Grand National Rules. In 1893 the racecourse uniquely encircled (1) Galleywood Church, the only church in the country built in the middle of a racecourse (2) a Brickworks (3) a Corn Windmill (4) a major part of the Galleywood Golf Links of the nearby Golf Club, the first Golf Club in the Chelmsford area and (5) the remains of the Napoleonic Defences from 1803-1815.
In 1928 the Racecourse was reported to be one of the best situated and most attractive in the whole of England. It was 250 feet above sea level, in beautiful surroundings over open heathland, and crossing two roads at four crossing points. The attendance at the March 1935 meeting was 3,000, but sadly the next meeting in April 1935, was to be the last, because although the race meetings were successful, they were run at a loss, as the large crowd of spectators on the surrounding common land with a good view of the races, could watch them free of charge.
Pony-racing took over in May 1935 and ended in 1939. The freehold land and property, totalling 22 acres, were put up for Sale by Auction in 1939. In 1942 the former Chelmsford Rural District Council (now Chelmsford City Council), completed the purchase of the land and property of the Chelmsford Racecourse Company, and the 116 acres of Galleywood Common.
The Common was registered as Common Land in 1965, under the Commons Act 1899, and was confirmed as a Local Nature Reserve in 1993.