NEHL - There was a horse racecourse outside Bishop Auckland between the mid 17th century and 1863. It stood at Hunwick Moor where the railway station is now located, and was one of the largest in the area. 4 day meetings took place each April in the early 1700s thanks to its growing popularity. It further extended through the first half of the century and started declined in the 1750s. From there the landed classes found the races "unfavourable" and looked elsewhere. By 1819, the races ceased for good until an attempted revival in 1863. It was unsuccessful.