Discover

To work at The Auckland Project is to find yourself in a cabinet of curiosities, a wonderland of treasures and a place where there is always something new to discover. Of the many things that I love is how in every one of our sites, stepping through a door can give a moment of wonder, from stepping onto a vintage carriage on the Weardale Railway and feeling like I might be about to bump into Miss. Marple on the 4:50 from Paddington, to emerging from the lift at the top of Auckland tower and seeing Bishop Auckland – and the land of the Prince Bishops – in its full glory, in place after place, a gate, a door or an arch reveals something special beyond. Here are just a few of my favourites…

The glimpse of a throne…
In many ways, what is wonderful about Auckland Castle is how many of the ideas of the architects behind it still have exactly the impact that was hoped for back when the buildings and interiors were first created. For example, I never failed to fell a frisson of excitement when I enter the Ante-Chamber, just outside the Throne Room. Back in the 18th Century Thomas Wyatt created that space to build anticipation for the Throne Room beyond, and today, when I stand in it, and I see the Bishop’s throne beyond, framed by the large wooden doors, teasing what is to come, I can well imagine the heightened sense of expectation that visitors back then would have felt – for it’s exactly how I feel now.

As I walk through those doors, the full room is revealed, and I find myself not only dazzled by the grandeur, but also surprisingly comforted by the warmth and, indeed, the sense of homeliness. Perhaps it is the pink walls, the rich curtains and colourful carpet, or maybe it’s the sense that the bishops looking down from the walls mean that even when there are no other people in the room, one is not quite alone. Last but not least, the throne and, most importantly, the arms of the Prince Bishops above, reminding us all that the men who lived in this place once held powers only rivalled by monarchs.

Entering a Golden Age…
Nip through the shop, go past the lockers, walk by the stairs and you’ll find yourself at set of glass doors – and when these doors to the first room of the Spanish Gallery open, they reveal treasure beyond and never fail to make my stomach skip. Here before me I see Benjamin, the one that got away, the only one of the set of Jacob and his Twelve Sons by Francisco de Zurbaran which eluded Bishop Trevor when he bought the set for Auckland Castle in the 1750s, now kindly on loan to the Spanish Gallery.

My eyes take a moment to adjust to the dim light, to take in the rich crimson walls, the gilded frame, the slight shimmer on the words ‘The Spanish Gallery’, and then, the model of the Long Dining Room of Auckland Castle, appearing to almost float in some sort of suspended animation. I feel like the world outside could be miles away, and I am drawn into a story of art, passion, politics, religion and family, and sure enough, as I turn, a river appears on the ground, seemingly drawing forwards, into the gallery, to explore further…

A secret garden…
It is remarkable how a garden can at once be both public and yet almost secret, and how by entering from two different sides can make it feel so different – the Kitchen Courtyard is one such space. From whichever side one enters, this space is beautiful, but the way into it which always takes me by surprise is when one has walked along the North Terrace, past the beautiful Cosin Garden, and then one comes across a gate in the wall.

When closed, one could assume that behind that door lies a small path or a potting shed, but no, open it, and a vast courtyard is revealed, its borders bursting with plants and its paving changing colour with the weather. One looks up and there is the castle, revealing different stages of building across the centuries. I always find that when entering the Kitchen Courtyard this way, I can take in all it has to offer – history, nature and beauty – framed by the palace in whose shadow it sits.

A woosh through time…
Perhaps it’s the child in me, but I just love walking towards the doors of the Faith Museum and seeing them open with a ‘woosh’! Walking down the gentle stone ramp, through the glass doors emblazoned with the word ‘Faith’, and finding myself stepping back 6,000 years as the sounds of birds tweeting and water flowing gently surrounds me. This modern entrance somehow almost feels liberating – it’s clean, it’s bright, and it even takes the task of pushing open a door out of my hands – and in a tiny way I feel that helps free my mind for the journey beyond. That might sound over-the-top for some automatic doors, but I love them!

Each one of our sites has a moment of reveal, a door through which we pass and make new discoveries. I could list site after site, space after space – but perhaps it’s better not to spoil the surprise, and you can experience them yourself when you visit.

Sutherland Forsyth, Associate Director of Heritage & Engagement