Archaeologists unearth Antony Bek’s chapel remains at Auckland Castle, forgotten since its 1650s destruction.
Archaeologists dug near Auckland Castle. This happened over a couple of years. They slowly found chapel ruins. Arthur Hesilrigg destroyed it in 1650.
John Castling spoke about its discovery. The team first found the gateway and towers. They did not know it was a chapel. Then they saw a large buttress. It was huge.
Next, the team found the vaulting. They wondered if a chapel was really that big. Bek became bishop in 1283. He was a major figure in history.
Bek raised an army. He fought with Edward I in 1298. Bek built the chapel to show off wealth. This was meant to be separate from Durham Cathedral. He often fought with the prior and monks there.
Castling noted Bek wanted to rule the North-East. He wanted it as his own kingdom. Durham monks were obstacles. The chapel showed his ambition.
The chapel was England’s largest private one. It was 40 meters long. Also, it was 12 meters wide. It had two big floors. The main door faced the market. Commoners could visit the main floor. But only the bishop could use the upper floor.
Castling said it had an early Gothic style. It copied cathedrals and abbeys. These buildings were in England and Europe. The chapel stayed unchanged for 300 years.
It got destroyed in 1650. Arthur Haselrigg ordered it. He saw it as a royal symbol. The chapel demolition was called wrong in 1662. The ruins got buried. Plants and buildings covered them up.
Castling stated the chapel’s key role. It showed what the castle looked like. But it was unknown, like it vanished. Castling emphasized the building’s huge value. Finding it was fantastic.
Durham University students helped. Auckland Project volunteers joined in. This find shows the site’s true importance. Bek preferred Auckland to Durham. Auckland was his main home. Bishops acted like lords there. Auckland was their northern base.