County Durham’s Auckland Castle to be restored

New £17m restoration project will see Auckland Castle, the 800 year old former palace of the Prince Bishops of Durham, restored to its former glory.

Auckland Castle

A two-storey extension and remodelling of the 16th-century Scotland Wing along with an immersive new museum experience will be introduced as part of the work to be carried out at Auckland Castle. The new extension will be designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects and will reflect the castle’s religious background, echoing wooden Anglo Saxon churches of the 6th and 7th centuries. Meanwhile the new museum will explore man’s relationship with belief across the British Isles. Planning consent has also been granted for a striking new welcome building that will offer panoramic views across the surrounding area of County Durham.

The renovation project forms part of a wider heritage-led social regeneration initiative for the North East that will transform Auckland Castle into an internationally-significant heritage destination that is expected to welcome around 120,000 visitors each year.