Press Release Thursday, 29 August 2019

Work Progresses at Historic County

Work to bring one of ’s historic castles back to life has taken a significant step forward.

North east company, Meldrum Construction Services Ltd, led by heritage and conservation experts Purcell, has completed its phase of work on the conservation of Auckland Castle in Auckland.

The 900-year-old building, the former home of the powerful Prince of Durham, is being carefully restored to its former splendour as part of The Auckland Project visitor destination.

Gateshead-based Meldrum has experience with Grade I and Grade II listed buildings, before beginning work on Auckland Castle they worked on St Nicholas Cathedral and The Bruce Building for Walton Robinson, both situated in Newcastle City Centre.

The company worked throughout the Castle conserving windows and historic plasterwork as well as putting in new plaster in all of the rooms and installing new power outlets heating, electrical infrastructure and lighting, including environmental control systems designed to help protect the historic building.

Meldrum also created new learning, retail and visitor facilities within the Castle, including conserving and transforming the original medieval kitchen into a new café.

The work has been managed by heritage building project management specialists, Focus Consultants, global professional services consultancy, Turner & Townsend, conservation architects, Purcell, and Clerk of Works consultancy, Hickton.

Other north east companies that have supported the conservation work include, Durham- based TGA Consulting Engineers, RDA, catering, hospitality and retail consultancy, design and fit out company, from Hebburn and Thornton Firkin quantity surveyors from Newcastle.

Now the construction element of the work is coming to a close, Auckland Castle has been handed back to its owner, The Auckland Project, a charitable organisation using art, faith and heritage to fuel long-term change and regeneration in the local area. The Project’s own specialist team of curators and conservators will now move in to prepare the Castle’s interior for its re-opening later in the year.

The Castle’s impressive state rooms are now being painstakingly returned to their original Georgian Gothic splendour as designed by renowned English architect, James Wyatt complete with new furnishings and textiles.

New interpretation will also be installed, inviting visitors to step back in time to hear the stories of the Prince Bishops of Durham and their life at Auckland Castle over the centuries.

Helen Redman, Head of Projects at The Auckland Project, said: “We have worked together with Meldrum Construction Services Ltd. to ensure that Auckland Castle is brought back to life, and returned to its former glory.

“We are now looking forward to the next steps towards creating an exciting new visitor experience in County Durham.”

Jo Bartle, Associate of Purcell said: “It has been a privilege to work on this project with a team of dedicated, talented experts. “We are now a part of the long and complex history of Auckland Castle a have left a legacy for future generations. It is wonderful to see the artwork return to the Castle again.”

The Castle will form the centrepiece of The Auckland Project visitor destination being created in , which will include a Faith Museum, Spanish Gallery, Walled Garden and restaurant as well as the already open Mining Art Gallery and Auckland Tower visitor centre.

The conservation of Auckland Castle is supported by the The National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Heritage Conservation Trust, Sir James Knott Trust, The Charles Hayward Foundation, The Headley Trust, The Linbury Trust, The Rothschild Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, J Paul Getty Jnr Charitable Trust and Richard Oldfield.

For more information visit, www.aucklandproject.org. To receive regular updates, follow The Auckland Project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ENDS

Caption Information: Glen Watson, Project Manager at Meldrum Construction Services Ltd, handing the key to Auckland Castle to Clare Baron, Head of Exhibitions and Interpretation at The Auckland Project. Photo credit; The Bigger Picture Agency Ltd.

About The Auckland Project:

The Auckland Project is a regeneration charity, working to create positive change for those living, working and visiting Bishop Auckland and to ensure the town’s future is as magnificent and vibrant as its past.

We believe that the best way to do that is by sharing what we have, and making beautiful works of art, venues, experiences and opportunities - the things that feed people’s bodies, minds and spirit - accessible to everyone.

To do so we are creating a visitor destination in Bishop Auckland, incorporating seven sites - Auckland Castle (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham), a Spanish Gallery, Faith Museum, Walled Garden, Deer Park, Mining Art Gallery and Auckland Tower visitor centre.

Auckland Tower opened in the Market Place in October 2018, following the Mining Art Gallery, in October 2017. Bishop Trevor Gallery, a temporary exhibition space within Auckland Castle, opened in June 2019, with the Castle itself due to reopen to the public later this year (2019). The other attractions will follow in stages in the years ahead.

We are also working directly with the local community to deliver a wide range of formal and informal learning for adults and young people, create jobs and apprenticeships both directly and via our supply chain, support sustainable living, including community-supported agriculture and the Incredible Edible scheme and promote general health and wellbeing.

To date approaching £150m has been committed to achieving our long-term ambition, with support from a wide range of organisations, charitable trusts and individuals, including the National Lottery Heritage Fund. Visitors to the destination will also play a crucial part in helping bring it to life.

For more information about The Auckland Project, please visit aucklandproject.org or search Auckland Project on Facebook and Twitter.

About Purcell Purcell is one of the world’s leading design practices with more than 70 years’ experience as architects, master planners and heritage consultants operating across regions of the UK and Asia Pacific. The AJ100 architectural practice has provided expert consultancy and design services as architects, designers, heritage and specialist consultants on many of the UK’s best-known buildings. In London alone, Purcell has worked on the restoration of Kensington Palace, Tower Bridge and the National Maritime Museum.

Web: www.purcelluk.com Twitter: @Purcelluk Instagram: @Purcell.Architecture