Minehead Cycling Club was formed on 12th April 1892 and their headquarters were at the Plume of Feathers Hotel.
The first bicycle race at Minehead was not at the Recreation Ground but was on the cricket field where the Minehead Harriers held a gymkhana on 14th September 1895. The race was twice around the cricket field and there were six competitors, C Stevens from Watchet rode away from the field and won easily.
There was a public meeting at Minehead on 12th May 1900, organised by Mr WR Hunt, the Captain of Minehead CC, to set up a sports meeting in order to attract visitors to the town. The date of Whit Monday 1900 was agreed and the location would be the new Recreation Ground. A prize fund of £50 was raised from sponsors and local tradespeople. The ground needed a great deal of preparation and a steam roller was hired from Bridgewater to prepare the track which measured five laps to the mile. There were large tents for changing and refreshments that were provided by Mr T Shattock of the Pier Hotel. The usual amusements of swing-boats, knock-em-downs and shooting galleries were there and Professor Arnold gave good sleight of hand and other performances.
The sports were the main attraction, particularly the bicycle races, were five running races, three bicycle handicap races and a local novelty bicycle race. HS Hamilton of Bristol NCC won the three miles race and a silver cup, beating F Morrish of Bristol WCC, Morrish won the one mile and was second in the two miles race. Music was played by the Minehead Town Band and there was dancing late into the evening.
The first sports meeting was so popular that it became an annual affair. The Whit Monday event on 19th May 1902 included sports that were organised by Minehead CC, there were five bicycle races, half, one and three miles open handicaps, a three miles local scratch and a five miles open race. WC Cross of Bristol Wheelers won three of the open races.
At the 1903 sports there were 400 entries and a three lap boy's bicycle scratch race was added, but unfortunately the one mile Minehead CC club race only drew three entries. W Cross was again victorious in the one and five miles open races. Admission cost six pence and the grandstand half a crown.
In 1905, horse racing events were included with the sports. FL Hake won the three miles local handicap bicycle race for the second successive year, thus making the five guinea silver challenge cup his own property. That year, the grass track was laid out at four laps to the mile, rather than five as in previous years.
The Whit Monday sports carried on for several years, in 1911 the sports were advertised, but there is no record that they were held. This was the last mention of bicycle racing on the Recreation Ground.
The Recreation Ground is still in use and Minehead Football Club play there.