The land on which Three Sisters Circuit stands was originally occupied by the Garswood Hall Colliery, which began coal extraction in 1867 and operated continuously for nearly a century before closing in 1958. The colliery left behind three enormous spoil heaps composed of mining waste, each rising over 150 feet (46 m) high. These structures became distinctive landmarks in the Wigan area and earned the affectionate local nickname of the "Wigan Alps," despite being regarded as environmental blights.
In the late 1970s, local authorities initiated a land reclamation project to repurpose the former industrial site as a nature reserve. The Three Sisters Circuit was incorporated into this development and opened in November 1978, initially as a karting facility. The circuit expanded during the 1990s with the addition of an extension creating the Full circuit configuration. The venue also offers multiple shorter layouts, including the Perimeter and Long circuits.
Three Sisters primarily serves club motorsport, hosting four- and two-wheeled racing series. Between 2019 and 2022 the British Scooter Sport Series held several rounds at the venue. The Freetech Endurance Series for amateur motorcycle teams has also featured the circuit. Track days and karting events form a regular part of the programme alongside club racing.
Three Sisters has notable connections to several figures who reached the top of motorsport. Neil Hodgson, who went on to win the Superbike World Championship, won his first race at Three Sisters in 1990. In the 2006 McLaren Mercedes Champions of the Future karting series, Three Sisters hosted a round whose winners included Lewis Hamilton in the Cadet class — the future seven-time Formula One World Champion was already accumulating victories in lower categories. Gary Paffett, a successful touring car and DTM driver, won the Intercontinental class at the same event. Current Formula One drivers Lando Norris and George Russell both raced regularly at Three Sisters during their karting years, placing the circuit among the early competitive environments that shaped their careers.
On 17 September 1989, British motorcycle racer Howard Christian Halsall was killed in a crash at the circuit.
Three Sisters Circuit is an example of the industrial brownfield-to-motorsport pathway common in post-mining regions of northern England. Without the profile of permanent licensed circuits, it has nonetheless functioned as a formative venue for a generation of racing talent. The careers of Hamilton, Norris, and Russell — three drivers who between them have accumulated numerous Formula One victories and championship titles — all passed through Three Sisters during their formative karting years, giving the Wigan circuit a disproportionate significance relative to its modest size.