Monumental Medieval Chapel Uncovered at County Durham Castle

Press Release Thursday, 20 February

The remains of a long-lost medieval chapel, comparable to some of the greatest in Europe, have been uncovered at Auckland Castle in County Durham, North East England.

Historical documents show that a two-storey chapel, described as ‘sumptuously constructed’ and ‘exceedingly good,’ was built at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland in the early 1300s. It was created for Bishop Antony Bek, (Prince Bishop of Durham 1284-1310), a great warrior and one of the most powerful and influential men in Europe at the time.

Despite it being larger than the king’s own chapel at Westminster, and with pieces of carved stone weighing the same as a small car, the exact location of the 14th century chapel has remained a mystery since its destruction in the 1650s following the English Civil War.

Now, following years of archaeological excavations, Bek’s Chapel has finally been discovered and the full extent of its spectacular scale will be revealed to the public in a special exhibition at Auckland Castle from Monday, 4 March to Sunday, 6 September.

A new reconstruction image of the medieval building will be on display in the exhibition alongside finds uncovered by archaeologists from Durham University and The Auckland Project, the charity that owns and manages Auckland Castle.

The foundations of Bek’s Chapel were found during digs over a five-month period, which revealed that the walls of the medieval chapel were 1.5m thick, 12m wide and 40m long internally.

Archaeologists also found huge bases for internal columns, the buttresses along the chapel’s sides and even part of the floor. And over 300 pieces of elaborately carved stone were excavated from fragments the size of a fist up to those the weight of a small car.

The uncovered evidence suggests that the original chapel was a vast structure reaching towards the size of continental chapels such as Sainte-Chapelle in Paris and featuring a timber ceiling and huge pillars with decorated stonework.

Archaeologists believe the chapel’s size, scale and decoration would have been a statement of the status of Bishop Bek, who as Prince Bishop of Durham held remarkable powers to mint coinage, raise armies and even rule on behalf of the king.

John Castling, Archaeology and Social History Curator at The Auckland Project, said: “It’s difficult to overstate just how significant this building is, built by one of the most powerful Prince Bishops as a statement of his power.

“Finally discovering the chapel was a fantastic moment for the whole team, which included students from Durham University and volunteers from The Auckland Project,

“We were all surprised by the sheer scale of the chapel and it’s great to be able to share the reconstruction image which shows a building that would have stunned visitors from all walks of life.”

In the months following the discovery of the chapel archaeologists from The Auckland Project and Durham University have been working with a panel of archaeological experts including Architectural Historians Tim Tatton-Brown, Tim Ayers and John Crook, to create a reconstruction of Bek’s Chapel as it would have looked in the 14th century.

The team mapped details from elements of comparable buildings, including kings’ chapels, cathedrals and minsters, to suggest the kind of glasswork, carved stone and roof construction that would have featured in Bishop Bek’s original chapel.

Stuart Harrison, Archaeologist at York Minster, recorded the geometry of the discovered foundations and stonework to reconstruct the framework of the original building.

And illustrator Andy Gammon combined the information with his own research to bring the Chapel to life through a coloured reconstruction with a cut-away opening up the chapel’s interior as well as an aerial view from the South West.

John Castling said: “It’s been great to work with a number of archaeologists and artists to create this reconstruction drawing.

“Andy’s illustration which is the result of extensive excavation, collaborative work and individual research is a fantastic way to bring Bek’s Chapel to life in the early 14th century.”

Professor Chris Gerrard from Durham University’s Department of Archaeology, said: “This is archaeology at its very best.

“Professionals, volunteers and Durham University students working together as a team to piece together clues from documents and old illustrations using the very latest survey techniques to solve the mystery of the whereabouts of this huge lost structure.

“We are really looking forward to returning to Auckland for another season of excavations.”

The team of archaeologists from The Auckland Project and Durham University will return to Auckland Castle this summer to continue their excavation of Bishop Bek’s Chapel where they are hoping to uncover more of the south side of the building.

And some of the uncovered carved stonework will be on display for visitors to examine in an upcoming exhibition, Inside Story: Conserving Auckland Castle at the Bishop Trevor Gallery at Auckland Castle. From Wednesday, 4 March to Sunday, 6 September the exhibition will also reveal more about the processes and techniques used in the recent conservation of Auckland Castle.

Auckland Castle is open 10am to 4pm, Wednesday to Sunday, admission is £10 for adults, £8 for concessions and £3 for under-16s and includes entrance to the Bishop Trevor Gallery.

For more information on how to get involved in future archaeological excavations at The Auckland Project visit aucklandproject.org.

To stay up to date with The Auckland Project’s programme of events and exhibitions visit aucklandproject.org or follow The Auckland Project on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

ENDS

Note to newsdesks:

Caption Information: TAP Bek Chapel Press 1: A reconstruction image showing the scale and decorated interior of Bishop Bek’s 14th century chapel at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. © Andy Gammon 2019

TAP Bek Chapel Press 3: The site of an archaeological excavation of Bishop Antony Bek’s Chapel at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland. Photograph: Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project.

TAP Bek Chapel Press 4: L-R Jamie Armstrong, Senior Archaeologist, Durham University Department of Archaeology and John Castling, Archaeology and Social History Curator at The Auckland Project with a large springer from the top of a column excavated from the chapel site. Photography: Jamie Sproates, courtesy The Auckland Project

Background Information on Bishop Antony Bek and Bek’s Chapel:  Bishop Antony Bek was elected Bishop of Durham in 1283 and held the post until his death in 1311  He was one of the most powerful and influential men in Europe at the start of the 14th century  Bishop Bek came from a family of knights and fought alongside King Edward I in the Crusades and against William Wallace at the Battle of Falkirk in 1298  Bishop Bek is credited with much of the early building work to transform Auckland Castle from a manor house into a castle  Historical sources show that during Bishop Bek’s time as Prince Bishop of Durham a chapel was built at Auckland Castle and the Castle itself was fortified with defensive walls  In 1306 he was named Patriarch of Jerusalem, which made him the senior ecclesiastic in England  After his death in 1311 Bishop Bek was buried at Durham Cathedral  The chapel was pulled down in the 1650s by parliamentarian, Sir Arthur Haselrigg, who took over Auckland Castle as Governor of Newcastle following the English Civil War  The chapel was, in part, blown up with gunpowder with some of the excavated stone showing where the gunpowder charges may have been laid

For more information please contact Kathleen Greaves, Communications Assistant at The Auckland Project on 01388 600 529 or [email protected]

About The Auckland Project:

The Auckland Project is 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.

To do so we are creating a visitor destination in Bishop Auckland, incorporating Auckland Castle (once home to the Prince Bishops of Durham), a Spanish Gallery, Faith Museum, Walled Garden, Deer Park, Mining Art Gallery, Auckland Tower visitor centre and an outdoor spectacular Kynren – an epic tale of England, is also performed every summer on a 7.5-acre stage.

Kynren launched in 2016, followed by the Mining Art Gallery, in October 2017 and Auckland Tower in October 2018. Bishop Trevor Gallery, a temporary exhibition space within Auckland Castle, opened in June 2019, with the Castle re-opening to the public on 2 November 2019 following a three-year conservation programme. The other attractions will follow in stages in the years ahead.

Alongside the visitor destination, The Auckland Project regeneration charity is 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 the Project’s 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.

The Auckland Project’s sister charity, Eleven Arches, runs open air spectacular Kynren – an epic tale of England.

Set against the magnificent backdrop of Auckland Castle on a 7.5-acre stage, the show is enjoyed from an 8,000-seat amphitheatre and culminates in a dramatic firework display. Its name echoes the Anglo-Saxon word ‘cynren’, meaning generation, kin or family, and reflects the inspiration of those involved in the production.

A live-action extravaganza, Kynren takes the audience on a journey through 2,000 years of history, myth and legend, from the Roman occupation to the Second World War. Kynren is a critically acclaimed experience and has received five-star reviews. It attracts thousands of people to Bishop Auckland each summer and is supported by a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers.

Kynren will return from 1 August to 12 September 2020, with tickets expected to go on sale in November 2019. For more information, or to book visit www.kynren.com or call 0333 300 3028. For media enquiries about the show please contact Amanda Baxter, Head of Sales and Marketing on 01388 439802 or [email protected]

About Durham University Durham University is a globally outstanding centre of teaching and research based in historic Durham City in the UK. We are a collegiate university committed to inspiring our people to do outstanding things at Durham and in the world. We conduct boundary-breaking research that improves lives globally and we are ranked as a world top 100 university with an international reputation in research and education (QS World University Rankings 2020). Our commitment to providing a wider student experience that fosters participation and leadership at Durham and beyond means our graduates are among some of the most sought after in the world and we are ranked in the top 50 globally for the employability of our students by major companies (QS 2020). We are a member of the Russell Group of leading research-intensive UK universities and we are consistently ranked as a top 10 university in national league tables (Times and Sunday Times Good University Guide, Guardian University Guide and The Complete University Guide). For more information about Durham University visit: www.durham.ac.uk/about/ ENDS