Auckland Castle Park: An Archaeological Exploration

Auckland Castle Park on the edge of Bishop Auckland is what remains of a once much larger medieval deer park established over 900 years ago for the influential Bishops of Durham. From its early beginnings as a space for hunting and grazing, it became a polite post-medieval garden landscape for the private enjoyment of the Bishops and their visitors. The 19th and 20th century then saw parts of the park increasingly opened up to members of the public, as well as the development of a popular golf course. Now in the 21st century Bishop Auckland is moving towards a culture and tourism-driven economy. As an expansive green space of open grassland, wooded slopes and attractive river valleys enriched throughout with visible history and heritage, Auckland Castle Park has much to offer.

Open our digital story map to discover highlights from the recent work of the Aerial and Archaeological Investigators, and to learn about some of the resources used to map and examine elements of the upstanding archaeology preserved within the parkland and golf course.

In 2018 Bishop Auckland was given Heritage Action Zone (HAZ) status and a 5-year programme of work is underway to rejuvenate public spaces and help bring vacant historic buildings back into use. To help inform this work a detailed Historic Area Assessment was completed, this investigation of archaeology in Auckland Castle Park contributed to that research. The full report is available online and will help you to further explore the history, development, character and significance of the town and park through architectural and archaeological investigation.

To explore the Story Map visit:

https://historicengland.org.uk/services-skills/heritage-action-zones/bishop-auckland/