The circus was first established by Philip Astley, who opened the Astley's Amphitheatre in 1777. It was his idea to have the horses perform in a circular ring. Clowns juggling bowling pins, …

Astley's Amphitheatre was a performance venue in London opened by Philip Astley in 1773, considered the first modern circus ring. [1] It was burned and rebuilt several times, and went …

Mar 4, 2025 · The modern circus came into being in England in 1768 when Philip Astley, a former sergeant major turned trick rider, found that if he galloped in a circle while standing on his …

Born into a circus family in Southwark, London in 1793, Ducrow was trained in circus skills from a very young age. His father was an acrobat and strongman who could reputedly carry five …

Feb 18, 2020 · The founder of the modern circus, Astley would go on to lease premises near Westminster Bridge and gave exhibitions based around his riding skills – riding 5 horses at …

Philip Astley (8 January 1742 – 20 October 1814) was an English equestrian, circus owner, and inventor, regarded as being the "father of the modern circus".

Philip Astley (1742-1814) is considered the creator of the modern circus. He was born January 8, 1742 in Newcastle-under-Lyme, in the West Midlands, England, the son of Edward Astley, a …

Soon almost every major European city had its own permanent circus, with architecture rivalling some of the most famous theatres on the continent. The circus concept soon spread to …

Jacob Bates, an English equestrian based in the German States, who performed as far away as Russia (1764-65) and America (1772-73), was the first of these showmen to make a mark.

This bill for Astley’s Amphitheatre at the Foot of Westminster-Bridge dates to the summer season of 1777. The equestrian program is described with rich detail, giving the 21st century eye and …