A Bishop Auckland Revival

There’s a new bustle to Bishop Auckland these days, and it’s not before time.  It’s been a sad little place for the last many years, but finally someone has taken pity on it and started to breath new life into the dejected streets.  There’s still an impoverished look to the shops, in common with many of our high streets, but change is afoot.  In the vanguard, No. 42 leads the way with it’s fiercely pointy roof.  Describing itself as a gateway to both past and future, upstairs the Pod provides studio space to encourage artistic creativity.  And look!  The yarn bombers are about.

It all began with Auckland Castle, and a vision to turn it into a faith, art and heritage destination on an international scale.  Jonathan Ruffer, Chairman of the Auckland Project, has never lacked for ambition, but what is being achieved in Bishop Auckland is remarkable.  Back in 2014 I took you on a walk through the beautiful castle and grounds, with their distinctive Deer House.  A highlight of the post was the story of the paintings by Spanish master, Francisco de Zurbaran.  Auctioned for in excess of 15 million pounds, they were bought by Ruffer and the Trust he set up, to enable them to stay in Bishop Auckland.  They are soon to feature in a state of the art Spanish Gallery, opposite the new Mining Museum, on Market Square.  The castle is closed to the public and the gardens a bit of a mess until they reopen in December this year.  Meantime Kynren, a spectacular action show, taking you through 2000 years of history, will enliven the grounds again this summer.  I need to book a ticket.

The town isn’t lacking in history, having strong links with the Prince Bishops of Durham.  Surrounded by the mining industry until its decline, the town was once a railway hub and has an enormous entry in Wikipedia, for those who might be interested.  I’ll leave you with that happy chappy, Stan Laurel, who lived in the town as a child.  “Another fine mess you’ve got me into”.

Speaking of which, I didn’t have my camera that day, and had to improvise with some shots taken on my phone.  Scratches head!  You’ll get a better look around, and a peep at the paintings, on my original Auckland Castle post.

76 comments

  1. I would never have guessed. Your photos are always wonderful. And it’s great to see a city reviving. I remember hearing a series on Australian radio about the strategies country towns were using to stay viable – nothing on this scale. Hugs on a lonely rainy Warsaw Saturday. The mob have pitched camp on the banks of Loch Lomond and the city feels strangely empty.

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  3. I’ve just come back from visiting a friend who lives in Spain who comes from Bishop Auckland – or Bishop as she calls it. Nice to see where she’s talking about and your phone takes great shots!

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    1. Thanks, Otto. 🙂 🙂 I find that when I download them they aren’t my normal landscape shape and I am limited to how much adjustment I can make without losing some of the image. I’m sure there will be a way around this but I haven’t played about with the phone to see what can be done. The image quality is generally fine.

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  6. I didn’t know Stan Laurel lived in Bishop Auckland. I knew he was born in Ulverston and he first went on stage in Glasgow aged 16 – Bishop Auckland seems to have been in between. I suppose it makes sense that a music hall family would move around. I read about Kynren last year and thought it would be a good thing to do, then promptly forgot all about it and now my summer is too full!

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    1. I’m sure to book a night when it rains, Anabel, and then I’ll regret it, but everyone I know that’s seen the show says it’s really great. Next year, maybe? 🙂 🙂

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      2. You might enjoy the Spanish Gallery and the Mining Museum too. They really are making a good job of Market Square and the castle gardens are being restored as well. 🙂

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  7. Am thinking India desperately needs people like Raffer. Your did a great job with your phone Jo. I remember being blown away by your photo of a state bed in that castle! 🙂

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    1. Oh, bless you, darlin! That’s so nice of you. 🙂 🙂 Ruffer was a banker and entrepreneur but it sounds like he has a heart. He appears on video on the Auckland Castle website and I have huge admiration for his attitude. Thanks for your lovely company, hon.

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    1. Hello, love! So nice to have you here. 🙂 🙂 So sad when a town centre becomes semi derelict and full of charity shops, Cynthia, but things are definitely looking up. I’m well, thanks, and looking forward to moving to the Algarve permanently in the Autumn.

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  10. I have been to Ulverston and noticed a Stan Laurel connection there too. There is a Laurel and Hardy Museum, though this was unfortunately closed when I visited one January. A bit of yarn bombing always cheers a place up. 🙂

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    1. We found him up at Tyneside, in a North Shields park, too. The museum would be really interesting. Not really my kind of humour but you had to laugh! 🙂 🙂 Bank Holiday fun coming up? We’re in the gloom over on this side. 😦

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      1. Its supposed to rain tommorrow here. We have had it so good though! Going Blackpool Zoo Sunday with a friend and kids. Should be fun! X

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  12. Cheering to read that one High Street at least is making a comeback, or is it a fightback? It is so sad to see our towns falling into such a state of woe but in my area, it seems that the villages are the places that are fighting back. The vogue for fresh vegetables, home-baked bread and such like is encouraging the small shops back again and I only hope that the rising council taxes don’t force them out again.
    Don’t know why you worry about your mobile phone images, they are brilliant. I seem to shake a lot when I try to take photos with mine but although I mean to ALWAYS carry my little compact with me, when something good appears I don’t seem to have it.

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    1. The images aren’t bad, Mari, but they download in an awkward shape and I don’t seem to be able to change them. No worries! I thought we were going for a walk on the beach and this is where we ended up. Mick’s choice, and it made a change. Ruffer invested a lot of his personal fortune to make this happen and I think it’s great. The local community volunteer in droves for the Kynren show and it’s so good to give the town back a bit of morale. 🙂 🙂

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  13. So many northern towns have been going through a down-at-heel phase. Even my own town, Ripon is having a bit of a hard time. Good to see the better times slowly returning.

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    1. If it wasn’t for Ruffer this wouldn’t have happened, Margaret. The town were very lucky to attract his attention, but Auckland Castle is a real beauty and deserves a town that can show it off. There are still a lot of charity shops and boarded up properties on the High Street but Market Square is looking great. Hopefully it will spread. 🙂 🙂

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    1. We were hesitant to book tickets because if it comes to rain you’ve no shelter, Marion. But everyone I know that’s been has been full of praise for the show. 🙂 🙂 The town is quite run down apart from Market Square, but hopefully it will improve.

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  16. So interesting to hear of a town being restored. The big shopping centre complex’s over here with lots of parking and under cover, air conditioned building and all the generic multi nationals have been the death knell for Main Street shops in many small towns, so sad

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    1. I don’t know what people see in malls, Pauline. Mind you, I’m no shopper, but I find them boring. Love a bit of character! The High Street is still a bit sad but hopefully it will improve as more money comes into the town. 🙂 🙂

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      1. I’m not a window shopper or a fan of malls for browsing but they are handy for grocery shopping, but love to browse around craft/ art, book, curio type shops that you don’t find in shopping centres, but are often relics in the Main Street where the rent is cheaper…

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    1. Wonderful clip! There will never be another Laurel (and Hardy) — and even if there were, they would be out of their element in today’s culture (and more’s the pity). But their legacy lives on for those fortunate enough to appreciate it.

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    2. Thanks so much for this, Efi! He had a great face, didn’t he? Sorry I’m so late responding. I’ve been out all day at some beautiful gardens in Northumberland. Wishing you a wonderful weekend! 🙂 🙂

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  18. It does sound like Bishop Auckland is slowly coming back to life. Maybe give it a few more years. These photos are amazing, Jo. You know how to work your phone’s camera 🙂

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    1. I don’t like the shape of the photos, Mabel, but I don’t know how, or if, I can change them. No real problems with the quality. It’s the photographer that’s the problem. 🙂 🙂

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      1. You’re never the problem, Jo! I really liked these photos 🙂 But if you don’t like your photos with your phone…I think your camera would be very happy to hear that. It needs some time out again and some lovin’ 🙂 Have a good weekend lovely ❤

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    1. It looked totally out of place in a very traditional setting, Tanya, but I’ve grown used and am quite keen to see inside, and the Spanish Gallery should be great too. 🙂 🙂 Thanks, hon!

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