Art Appreciation 2 VISIT TO ESCOMB SAXON CHURCH and AUCKLAND CASTLE Friday 2nd February How many of us have driven along the A68 and seen the sign to Escomb Saxon Church and thought I must go there? Well our group of six from Art Appreciation 2 did just that and it is well worth the detour. Escomb church is one of the finest Anglo Saxon churches in England. It was built around 675AD with stone probably taken from the nearby Roman Fort at Binchester and as you look around the church you will see markings on stones from this period. The Chancel Arch is also thought to be a reassembled Roman archway. This is a church of signs and mysteries waiting to be explored. The interpretation in the church is excellent and I recommend you go and explore it for yourself preferably on a warm and sunny day! From Escomb we drove to Bishop Auckland to visit Auckland Castle with its rich history as the home of the Princes Bishops of Durham for over 900 years. The See of Durham was created in the 9th century when King Alfred gave “all the lands from between the Wear and the Tyne to Saint Cuthbert and those who should minister his church”. The Princes Bishops became extremely wealthy and powerful and this remained virtually unchanged right up to the 19th century. The Zurburán Portraits of Jacob and the Twelve Tribes of Israel are the reason Auckland Castle was bought by Jonathan Ruffer whose love of Spanish paintings is at the heart of the restoration of Auckland Castle and its visionary transformation under the guidance of The Auckland Castle Trust. The main purpose of our visit was to see a marvellous exhibition ‘Plots and Spangles’ an examination of Mistress Wintours richly embroidered vestments and alter pieces brought together for the first time in 340 years. The embroidered vestments chart the spell binding tale of one woman’s religious devotion and determination to keep the Catholic faith alive after the death of her father one of the plotters in the failed Gunpowder Plot of November 5 th 1605. This exhibition is on till Sunday 24th April and as historically interesting as it is beautiful to examine. After an excellent lunch in the Library our day concluded with a guided tour of the castle which was greatly enhanced by our knowledgeable and amusing guide. Miranda Howat.