HANDS ON WITH TOWN'S HERITAGE Monday, 4 September 2017
A County Durham castle is offering the chance to get hands on with history in a weekend of free events.
On Saturday 9 and Sunday 10 September, Heritage Open Days will offer a chance to walk in the footsteps of the Prince Bishops, once the second most powerful men in the country.
At a special Pop-Up Museum within the grounds of the Castle, visitors will be able to sit on a replica throne and dress up in a collection of model copes, the ceremonial cloaks worn by the bishops, and mitres.
Alongside the museum, a series of free tours will be taking place across the weekend, including Behind the Scenes Tours, run by specially trained volunteers. Visitors will get a sneak peek at the Castle while it undergoes a multi-million pound restoration.
Separate tours of the Castle’s St Peter’s Chapel will also be held. The Chapel Tours will explore the history of the site, including coats of arms for each of the Bishops of Durham, which adorn the walls.
Outside the Castle, Past and Future Tours will explore the history of Bishop Auckland Market Place as well as its exciting future. Stops along the route include Old Bank Chambers and the Backhouse Bank, the future sites of the Mining Art Gallery and Spanish Gallery.
These free events are all part of the national Heritage Open Days Festival, which sees more than 2,500 organisations across the country open their doors to celebrate and share their history with the community.
Heritage Open Days at Auckland Castle will be running between 10am and 4pm on Saturday, 9 at 11am and at 2pm while Behind the Scenes and Chapel Tours will run throughout both days. All events across the weekend are free.