Archaeologists from Durham University and The Auckland Project have uncovered a lost historic house in the centre of Bishop Auckland during their digs this summer, which will be open for visitors to see until 8 September.
Built by infamous parliamentarian and Puritan, Sir Arthur Haselrig, who owned Auckland Castle during the middle of the 17th century, the location of Haselrig House is on the main site of The Auckland Project, and experts have established the house’s layout and where various rooms would have been.
Objects uncovered during the dig likely belong to labourers and trades people of the time, leading experts to conclude the house was nearly completed but never lived in.
Once the monarchy was restored and returned to power in 1660, Haselrig was imprisoned in the Tower of London where he eventually died.
Haselrig had been a key ally of Oliver Cromwell and purchased Auckland Castle whilst the monarchy, church and bishops had been outlawed.
On purchasing the castle, Haselrig used gunpowder to blow up parts of the chapel built in 1300, and from the dig this year, archaeologists found parts of the chapel recycled as rubble in the walls of Haselrig’s house.
John Castling, Archaeology Curator at The Auckland Project said: “Significant planning goes into the excavations with Durham University and whilst we suspected Sir Arther Haselrig’s house lay in the grounds from the geophysics surveys we conducted, as an archaeologist the excitement of the dig is because you don’t truly know what you’ll find and what state it will be in.
“As well as the house, we found the later courtyard screen, carriage way and earlier medieval structure, which was likely a tower containing the staircase that led onto the curtain wall.”
In a separate trench on the castle’s North Terrace, experts found the rubbish dumps from the kitchens which were likely dumped into a former garden in the 1400s-1600s.
Several unusual medieval artefacts were uncovered during these digs including a gold flower decoration, an arrowhead, stained glass, several coins and a jet dice.
To highlight the artefacts and the importance of the local archaeology, The Auckland Project is keeping the Haselrig House trench open until September and visitors can enjoy free tours at noon during the castle’s opening hours.
Archaeology activity days took place from 22 to 24 August, giving visitors the opportunity to handle objects, take part in family-friendly activities and meet the archaeologists.
Castling will also reveal more about the excavations at a special talk in the Old Library of Auckland Castle on Thursday 19 September at 1pm.
Booking is required but admission is included with an Auckland Castle ticket or Unlimited Pass.
Professor Chris Gerrard, the academic lead on the project from the Department of Archaeology, Durham University, said: “Sir Arthur Haselrig lived at a time of extraordinary political and social turmoil and his house is evidence of his unwavering belief in the new Republican and Puritan nation he believed he was building.
“Very few houses survive of this period and even fewer have been examined with an archaeological eye in this way.
“The fact that Haselrig seems never to have occupied the house is unexpected and has helped shed more light on the timelines of construction and destruction at Auckland Castle by Haselrig and the subsequent Bishop, John Cosin.
“There has been so much interest from members of the public too, and collaboration with The Auckland Project has helped to introduce more local people to Durham’s world-class archaeological department at work.”
Auckland Castle’s excavations have previously featured on hit BBC TV show Digging for Britain and with over 900 years of history at the site, the archaeologists will return in June 2025 for a final season of excavations.
The Auckland Project Unlimited Pass costs £30 for adults, £45 for a family of one adult and up to four children, and £75 for a family of two adults and up to four children.
To plan a visit or purchase an annual pass visit aucklandproject.org.
Bishop Auckland's local community newspaper.
