St Ronans, Bishop Auckland

Bishop Auckland is a busy market town, 11 miles to the south of Durham and is home to the Gothic palace of Auckland Castle and deer park, a 900 year old medieval hunting lodge and grounds, once home to the Prince Bishop’s of England. Bishop Auckland offers a thriving arts and cultural scene with a cinema, theatre and arts complex. There are plenty of places to eat and drink in the town centre and an abundance of shops to peruse. On the outskirts of the town you can discover the secrets of the largest Roman Fort in the county at Binchester or perhaps book a night at Kynren, a spectacular night show depicting the history of England, seen through the eyes of Arthur, a 10 year old boy from the North East, (opening July 2016) and marvel at the pyrotechnics, stunning lighting and water effects.

There is a scenic railway line which runs from Bishop Auckland to Stanhope. It was purchased quite recently by Jonathan Ruffer the man behind the Auckland Project and instrumental in bringing Kynren to Bishop Auckland. The city of Durham is just a short drive north with an array of shops, pubs and restaurants, and a little further will take you to the Roman town of Chester-le-Street or Beamish Museum. A little further afield you can discover the Durham Dales, Newcastle upon Tyne, Hadrian’s Wall, the Heritage Coast, Cragside at Rothbury and the North York Moors; there’s something for everyone.