The Auckland Project Breathes New Life into Bishop Auckland, Bishop Auckland, England

Bishop Auckland is a town in County Durham which is rich in history relating to railways, coal mining and Prince Bishops. When the Durham Coalfield closed in 1968 Bishop Auckland sank into a long period of decline. It seemed its past would be forgotten. But then, in 2012, the Auckland Project, a regeneration charity founded by Jonathan Ruffer, a Christian entrepreneur brought a dramatic reversal to the fortunes of the town. For a project of this nature to succeed it had to attract visitors to the area. And, in 2016, in an area known as Flatts Farm, the town held its first performance of Kynren, a pageant created by the project’s sister charity, Eleven Arches. This amazing production detailing English and Scottish history since Roman times initially involved a community of 500 and attracted thousands of visitors. It has grown every summer since then and now involves a community of one thousand people and brings hundreds of thousands of visitors to the town. Visitors can learn more about this project and the tourist attractions it has created in the Auckland Tower’s information centre.

Opened in 2018 the iconic Auckland Tower dominates the pretty Market Place in Bishop Auckland. The tower was designed to replicate a siege engine which medieval invaders would push up against city walls to gain access to a city under siege. This tower is an open timber structure created using larch wood although the grey coating gives it the appearance of steel. Over time this coating will wear away exposing weathered wood underneath. Flights of steps wind their way around a lift shaft giving access to balconies looking over the palace, town and River Wear below. Access to the tower as gained through the galleried welcome building below it. This building resembles an historic market hall with an exposed roof truss and galleries which include a small museum. There is an information desk on the ground floor where tickets can be bought to visit the various components of the Auckland Project which features the Mining Art Museum one of two art galleries that are part of the project. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).