| Did You Know? |
| Auckland, St. Helen's Church dates from the mid-12th Century with later additions made in the 13th and 14th Centuries. |
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| Some interesting facts about Bishop Auckland |
| Bishop Auckland stands on a large sand bank deposited when the Weardale Glaciers melted 15 million years ago. |
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| The early rents took some strange forms. Luce Makerell paid half a pound of cumin for his house near the orchard of the Lord Bishop. Gatull, the smith, held 16 acres for one pound of pepper and his heirs paid 2 shillings or two pigs while Unfrid the smith, got the oxgang for his services to the Bishop. |
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| Bishop Phillip of Poitou (1197-1208) promoted Sir Richard de Acle from the Manor of Woodham to the Manor of Whitworth. In exchange, land to the North of the Bishop's estate became part of the Bishop's Park. |
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| Bishop Anthony Bek 91284-1310) constructed the Manor House at Auckland with Chapels and chambers in a most sumptuous way. He built the great hall wherein were diverse pillars of black marble and speckled in white (Frosterley Marble) He built the great chamber and many other adjoining rooms and erected " a goody chappell there of squared stone and well-placed in the same a Dean and twelve Prebendaries." |
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| Bishop Bury (1333-1345) was a great collector of books. He was said to have more books than all the Bishops of England put together. He founded the first lending library in England for the students at Oxford and wrote a book called " Philobiblion" on the administration of a library, the preservation of books and the conditions on which they could be loaned. He wrote:- "Books shall guide a travelling soul, when daylight dies, to reach the goal." He died at Auckland Castle in 1345. |
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