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Auckland Castle, also known as Auckland Palace, is a former bishop's palace located in the town of Bishop Auckland in County Durham, England. The castle was a residence of the bishops of Durham from approximately 1183 and was their primary residence between 1832 and 2012, when the castle and its contents were sold to the Auckland Castle Trust (now the Auckland Project). It is now a tourist attraction, but still houses the bishop's offices.
The castle is notable for its chapel, described as "one of the finest rooms in North East England" in the Buildings of England series, which was the medieval great hall until it was remodelled by Bishop John Cosin in 1661–1665. The woodwork, which includes the pulpit, stalls, and screen, was commissioned by Cosin and combines Gothic and Baroque forms. The castle also contains twelve paintings depicting Jacob and His Twelve Sons by the Spanish painter Francisco de Zurbarán; the thirteenth portrait, Benjamin, is a copy, as the original hangs in Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire. Auckland Castle is a grade I listed building.
A college for a dean and nine Canon regular was established immediately west of the castle's enclosing wall by Lawrence Booth in the fifteenth century.
In 1603 after the Union of the Crowns, Tobias Matthew invited Anne of Denmark, Prince Henry, and Princess Elizabeth to stay at Auckland on their journey from Scotland to London.John Nichols, Progresses of James the First, vol. 4 (London, 1828), p. 1056. After the disestablishment of the Church of England at the end of the First English Civil War in 1646, Auckland Castle was sold to Sir Arthur Haselrig, who demolished much of the medieval building, including the original two-storey chapel, and built a mansion.Whellan, p.279 After the Restoration of the Monarchy, Prince-Bishop John Cosin in turn demolished Hazelrigg's mansion and rebuilt the castle, converting the banqueting hall into the chapel that stands today.Fordyce, p.548
In 1756, Bishop Richard Trevor bought the notable set of paintings, Jacob and his twelve sons, by Francisco de Zurbarán which still hang in the Long Dining Room. It is possible that the seventeenth century paintings were intended for South America. However they never reached their supposed destination, eventually coming into the possession of James Mendez who sold twelve of the thirteen to Bishop Trevor in 1757.
Bishop Trevor was unable to secure the 13th portrait, Benjamin, which was sold separately to the Duke of Ancaster and hangs in Grimsthorpe Castle, Lincolnshire. Bishop Trevor commissioned Arthur Pond to produce a copy painting of "Benjamin". The copy, together with the 12 originals, hang in the castle's Long Dining Room, which Bishop Trevor had redesigned especially to take the pictures.
Shute Barrington, Bishop of Durham from 1791 to 1826, employed the eminent architect James Wyatt to match the disparate architecture of the palace in the late 18th century, including its Throne Room and Garden Screen. In 1832, when William van Mildert, the last bishop to rule the county palatine of Durham, gave over Durham Castle to found Durham University, Auckland Castle became the sole episcopal seat of the See of Durham.
In 2001 the Church Commissioners voted to sell the paintings, a decision that was revoked in 2011 following a donation of £15 million by investment manager and philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer; new arrangements placed the paintings, along with the castle, under the Auckland Castle Trust, making them available to the public after centuries during which they hung in a private home where they could be seen only by invited guests or by special arrangement with the Bishop's staff. Jonathan Garnier Ruffer bio at Debrett's People of Today
By the time of the opening day, a new high tower had been erected as a visitor centre; the structure has a lift and a staircase as well as balconies for views of the castle from above. The interior had been fully restored, including the bishops' "palatial" quarters. According to one news item, "each of the 14 restored rooms, recreated from contemporary accounts and personal recollections" features the career of one former bishop. The Faith Museum of world religion and a huge glass greenhouse were under construction on Castle property.
Other attractions already operating at or near the Castle include the Mining Art Gallery (in a nearby former bank building) showing work mainly by self-taught or night school-educated miners; this attraction opened in 2017 (thanks to support provided to the Castle Trust by Bishop Auckland and Shildon AAP and Durham County Council); an open-air theatre, Kynren, depicting "An Epic Tale of England" with a cast of 1,000; and the Bishop Trevor Gallery at the Castle; the latter started displaying the National Gallery's Masterpiece touring exhibit in October 2019.
In October 2023, the Faith Museum opened to the public. Designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects, it covers 6000 years of British religious history, from the Neolithic to 2000AD. It is housed in the Scotland Wing of the castle, as well as a new stone-built extension.
In May 2024, the 17th century walled gardens reopened, with a new glasshouse and faith garden. The Great Garden is set to open in 2025.
The main buildings form two sides of a courtyard. To the north is the large four-bay aisled chapel, originally the hall of Bishop Pudsey's palace. This was built in c.1190 with unusually ornate arcades and capitals, and remodelled in c.1300 for Bishop Bek. In 1661-65 it was converted for use as a chapel by John Cosin, the original chapel having been destroyed in the Interregnum. At this time the exterior was heavily remodelled in the mixture of Gothic and Baroque characteristic of Cosin, and the clerestory was replaced. The western range housed the bishop's state rooms above the offices and service functions (now the café). At its heart this structure is that of Bek's extensive reconstruction, but this is now concealed by work of the 16th and 18th centuries. The state rooms as they now appear are largely the work of James Wyatt in c.1795 for Bishop Barrington. They are in the Gothick style and include along with the normal suite of rooms an ante-room and throne room, as the Prince-Bishop of Durham had until the 19th century quasi-regal powers. The Long Dining Room houses the Zurbarán paintings, while the other rooms contain exhibits on the history of the castle, and the Bishop Trevor art gallery. Behind this range is the Scotland Wing, originally Bishop Tunstall's long gallery, but now part of the Faith Museum.
The Castle is surrounded by a deer park of of parkland. It retains many of the medieval elements, including the fish ponds and woodland paths, providing an important record of how the medieval bishops lived, entertained and hunted there.Hutchinson, p.20
Culture
The castle was used as the backdrop for Lewis Carroll's story "A Legend of Scotland" in the 19th century. In 2006, Auckland Castle was the setting for two episodes of BBC's Antiques Roadshow. In 2013, a 15th-century bed once owned by Henry VII was put on display at the castle.
Notable structures and historic listing designations
The castle and its grounds contain seven structures Listed building by Historic England at Grade I, the highest grade. It also contains a number of buildings listed at Grade II* and Grade II.
Auckland Castle Grade I Probably begun in the 12th century and completed in the 13th century. West Mural Tower and West Walls Grade I First wall built 14th century. Entrance Gateway Grade I Built by Thomas Robinson in 1760 for bishop Trevor. Chapel of St Peter Grade I Built as great hall 1190, completed 1249 and converted to chapel 1661–65. Screen Wall Grade I Built by James Wyatt 1795 for bishop Shute Barrington. Deer Shelter Grade I Built 1760. Castle Lodge Grade I Built 17th century. 11 Market Place Grade II* Built early 18th century; formerly known as 18 Castle Square. 15 and 16 Market Place Grade II 18th century park . 17 and 18 Market Place Grade II Built early 18th century. 12 Market Place Grade II Built early 18th century, previously known as 19 Castle Square. 2 and 3 Castle Square Grade II Medieval use unknown; later Prebend, then carriage houses. Westcott Lodge Grade II Built early-18th century. Six pillars; www.britishlistedbuildings.co.uk Grade II Possibly 17th century hayshed. Garden and Drive Walls Grade II Built 18th and 19th century, railings added 19th century. Jock's Bridge Grade II Built 1819, forms park boundary wall. Trevor's Bridge Grade II Built 1757. Ice House Grade II Probably built late-18th century. Footbridge over River Gaunless Grade II Built mid-18th century. Footbridge over River Gaunless Grade II Built 1827. Footbridge over River Gaunless Grade II Built 18th century. Wellhead Grade II 2m high pyramid, part of 18th century water supply to the castle. Cistern Grade II Part of 18th century water supply to the castle. Milestone on Castle Drive Grade II 18th century. Park Gates and Screen Wall Grade II Built late 18th century. Lodge Farmhouse Grade II Built 1779 for bishopEgerton. Stables and Barn of Lodge Farmhouse Grade II Built 1779. Stables and Barn of Lodge Farmhouse Grade II Built 1779.
See also
Bibliography
Further reading
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