Castle Irwell is not like other residential developments. This is a site with real history that has been at the heart of the community in one way or another for over a century.
Originally the site of Castle Irwell House, that property was demolished in 1902 to make way for a horse racing track. Construction finished in 1910 and the site was made the official Manchester Racecourse, following in the footsteps of Barlow Moor and Kersal Moor tracks where racing activity was recorded as far back as 1647.
Decades of racing followed as the Racecourse established itself as one of the finest in the country. It was even the site of Salboy co-founder Fred Done’s first bookmaker shop, making this a place with special significance for us.
Locals loved the track and race enthusiasts travelled from far and wide to enjoy the spectacle and bet on their favourites. It was even the site of Queen Elizabeth II’s first ever win as a horse owner, cementing its place in history.
When the track eventually closed in November 1963, it left behind a legacy that would eventually be reimagined by Salboy.
Before then, however, Castle Irwell was used by the University of Salford and Salford City Council who turned it into a network of private and public playing fields. It was sold to the University entirely for £46,000 in 1973 and began its journey towards becoming the residential community it is today.
Castle Irwell Student Village was developed and became an iconic landmark, a home and the centre of student life for tens of thousands of students.
The Members Stand from the racecourse was converted into the Pavilion bar and nightclub by the Salford Student Union and earned its own place in University folklore over the decades. Crucially, it also preserved the building for posterity.
‘The Pav’ as it was known would last until June 2010, and the Student Village as a whole would close in 2015 bringing an end to almost 50 years of service as student accommodation.
Castle Irwell then suffered from an arson attack in 2016 and lay dormant until Salboy acquired it in 2019. We then made plans to create a one-of-a-kind residential community.
A respect for history and a passion for our local area made it natural to incorporate Castle Irwell’s history as Manchester Racecourse into our new community scheme.
Streets are named after famous racing people and race horses including Sir Gordon Richards, Peter O’Sullivan, Shergar and the late Salford-born jockey Stan Mellor who passed away in 2020.
Mellor rode 33 winners at Manchester Racecourse and was the fist jockey to ride 1,000 jump winners in total – a legacy that won’t ever be forgotten, and an achievement now recognised and honoured at Castle Irwell, just minutes away from where he was born.
While it is not normally allowed to name a street after someone within 10 years of their death, Salford City Council recognised the scale of Mellor’s importance to the area and waived the rule.
Mellor’s widow, Elaine, told the BBC that his family was delighted by the street name, adding: “He had many successes at Manchester where he always enjoyed riding – not least because he would have huge support from the crowd cheering on the local lad made good.”
We also turned the old turnstile building into offices for the development and the show home. Buyers who visited were not just seeing what their new homes would look like, but they were also standing in living history.
Now, the 367 homes at Castle Irwell continue the area’s legacy of serving the community and have created a place for people to gather and live once more. With just a few homes left for sale, Phase 3 is scheduled to complete this year and the new residents will write the next chapter in the fascinating history of this unique site.
