Article: David Styles | Image: A volunteer working on the original chapel floor © Jamie Sproates/The Auckland Project
The remains of a medieval chapel, comparable in size and design to some of Europe’s most celebrated, have been uncovered by archaeologists working at Auckland Castle.
Despite the existence of historical documents describing a “sumptuously constructed” two-storey chapel created for Bishop Antony Bek, the exact location of the 14th century chapel had remained a mystery since its destruction in the aftermath of the English Civil War.
After coming across the foundations during a five-month dig, archaeologists recently determined that the building’s walls were 1.5 metres thick, 12 metres wide and 40 metres long internally.
An exhibition displaying the full extent of its scale is now open and will run until 6th September. A new reconstruction image of the chapel will be on display alongside finds uncovered by archaeologists from Durham University and The Auckland Project, the charity that owns and manages Auckland Castle.
Gallery
L-R John Castling, Archaeology and Social History Curator at The Auckland Project and Jamie Armstrong, Senior Archaeologist, Durham University Department of Archaeology with an intricately carved ceiling boss from the chapel © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
The foundation for a column base, with the foundations of the south chapel wall to the right of the picture © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
The site of an archaeological excavation of Bishop Antony Bek’s Chapel at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
A ceiling boss from the chapel, carved with a design of ivy and grapes © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
A ceiling boss from the chapel, carved with a design of ivy and grapes © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
Archaeology expert Peter Ryder recording stonework excavated from the site © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
View towards the north east of an archaeological excavation of Bishop Antony Bek’s Chapel at Auckland Castle, Bishop Auckland © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
A large springer from the top of a column, excavated from the chapel site © Jamie Sproates, courtesy of The Auckland Project
“It’s difficult to overstate just how significant this building is,” according to John Castling, archaeology and social history curator at The Auckland Project. “We were all surprised by the sheer scale of the chapel and it’s great to be able to share the reconstruction image which shows a building that would have stunned visitors, from all walks of life.”
