Bishop Auckland Castle (Auckland Castle)

Auckland Castle, often known as Bishop Auckland Castle, was for more than 800 years the country home and later the principal residence of the Prince Bishops of Durham, some of the most powerful figures in medieval England. Set on a bluff above the River Wear at the edge of Bishop Auckland town centre, the castle grew from a 12th-century hunting lodge into a fortified palace, remodelled over the centuries in Gothic, Georgian and Gothic Revival styles.

Inside, visitors can walk through the state rooms, private apartments and the extraordinary St Peter's Chapel, converted from a great medieval banqueting hall and considered one of the largest private chapels in Europe. The Long Dining Room is hung with Francisco de Zurbarán's 17th-century series depicting Jacob and his Twelve Sons, a set of paintings that has remained at the castle since 1756 and is central to the building's story.

The castle is the anchor of The Auckland Project, a wider regeneration scheme that also takes in the neighbouring Auckland Gardens, Deer Park, Faith Museum, Mining Art Gallery and the Auckland Tower viewing platform in the market place. Combined tickets cover several sites, and the castle is an easy walk from Bishop Auckland's bus and rail stations, including services on the 101 route towards Stanhope.