Earliest meeting: Monday 10th April 1732
Final meeting: Monday 4th June 1770
The County Durham town of Chester-le-Street is situated on the River Wear some 7 miles south of Newcastle upon Tyne and just 8 miles west of Sunderland. It is steeped in history and can be traced back to Roman times when the Roman fort Concangis was built. There is even earlier evidence of a settlement in the Iron Age, but amazingly the town was not mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book. Indeed, so many places in this area, were not mentioned in the 1086 Domesday Book, which stated ' All the land north of the Tees was laid to waist between 1066 and 1085, so nothing is worth recording'. The Bolden Book, in 1183AD, did record settlements at Muggleswick, Witton (Gilbert) and Fulforth among others. In the middle of the 18th century the town held its own races which were recorded in the ‘Historical List of Horse Matches and Races’, by John Cheny, the earliest being on Monday 10th April 1732. The course was on Chester South Moor and races were held annually until Whit Monday 3rd June 1770.

Monday 10th April 1732
Chester Le Street 15 Guineas Purse over 3 miles
1. UNNAMED bay horse owned by Mr Lightfoot 1 2 1
2. UNNAMED grey horse owned by Mr Hudson 2 1 2
3. UNNAMED grey mare owned by Mr Bullock 3 4 3
4. UNNAMED bay horse owned by Mr Greams 5 3 4
5. UNNAMED bay mare owned by Mr Jackson 4 dist
6. UNNAMED grey horse owned by Mr Johnson 6 dist
6 ran
Tuesday 11th April 1732
10 Guineas Give & Take Purse
1. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Plukney 1 1 2
2. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Lambton 3 3 1
3. UNNAMED bay horse owned by Mr Wood 2 2 dist
3 ran
Wednesday 12th April 1732
15 Guineas Purse
1. UNNAMED grey gelding owned by Mr Hardman 2 1 1
2. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Vesey 1 2 2
3. UNNAMED grey gelding owned by Sir John Swinburn 3 3 4
4. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Bruton 4 4 3
5. UNNAMED chestnut mare owned by Mr Winship dist
6. UNNAMED grey mare owned by Mr Stoker dist
6 ran

12th June 1764

Chester-le-Street 4 year old Stakes over 4 miles
1. Scanderbergh, brown colt owned by Mr Parker
2. Unnamed bay colt owned by Mr Alcock
3. Unnamed bay filly owned by Mr Serlington

13th June 1764

Chester-le-Street 5 year olds and upwards
1. Shepherd, bay horse owned by Mr Fenwick
2. Unnamed black horse owned by Mr Carr
3. Unnamed grey mare owned by Mr Peacock

Much of the information about this course has been found using internet research and is in the public domain. However, useful research sources have been:-

London Illustrated News

Racing Illustrated 1895-1899

The Sporting & Dramatic Illustrated

Northern Turf History Volumes 1-4 by J.Fairfax-Blakeborough

The Sporting Magazine

A Long Time Gone by Chris Pitt first published in 1996 ISBN 0 900599 89 8

Racing Calendars which were first published in 1727

ISBN 978-0-9957632-0-3

652 pages

774 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-1-0

352 pages

400 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-2-7

180 pages

140 former courses

ISBN 978-0-9957632-3-4

264 pages

235 former courses