Bishop Auckland Travel Guide — Things to Do, Food & Hotels
town and civil parish in County Durham, England
About Bishop Auckland
The medieval bishops of Durham held the status of princes so they needed palatial lodgings. They found the hunting lodge at Auckland more to their liking than their city residence, so they spent 800 years building up the castle here and knocking down whatever the previous fellow had done. They decamped back to Durham in 2012 and the castle was bought by Jonathan Ruffer (b 1951), a banker, lawyer and art collector. What had been a small market, agricultural and weaving town burgeoned in the late 19th century with the development of the Durham coalfields, with 60 collieries active in the area. There was also quarrying, railways to transport the coal and stone, and foundries for railway engineering. These all collapsed in the late 20th century and the town is trying to relaunch itself as a to
Top Attractions in Bishop Auckland
Explore the best things to see and do in Bishop Auckland:
- ★Auckland Castle
- ★Binchester Roman Fort
- ★Escomb Saxon Church
- ★Kynren
- ★Locomotion
- ★Mining Art Gallery
- ★Raby Castle
- ★Spanish Gallery
Where to Eat in Bishop Auckland
Must-try local food and restaurants:
- 🍴Manzo
Where to Stay in Bishop Auckland
- 🏨Gables Pod Camping
- 🏨Manor House Hotel
- 🏨Park Head Hotel
- 🏨Premier Inn
- 🏨Saxon Inn
Bishop Auckland Travel Guide Sections
Our comprehensive guide covers 11 sections including: