Discover Bishop Auckland, County Durham

Bishop Auckland Town Hall: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Bishop_Auckland_Town_Hall_-_geograph.org.uk_-_1412124.jpg
Author: Neville Davison


Bishop Auckland is a market town in County Durham, England. Located at the confluence of the River Wear and its tributary, the River Gaunless, it has a population of 24,000 people (2012 estimate).

The name Bishop Auckland has to be explained in two parts. The "Bishop" is said to have been derived from the Bishop of Durham while "Auckland" may have been a Celtic name for the River Gaunless. Bishop Auckland was first mentioned in the 11th century. For much of its history is linked to the Bishops of Durham.

Auckland Castle, also called Bishop's Castle, dates back to 1183, when Bishop Pudsey established a manor house on the site. It became the official residence of the Bishop of Durham in 1832.

As with a number of towns in Britain, Bishop Auckland became a major industrial town during the 19th century. It was a railway hub, which helped move large amounts of coal, limestone and ironstone from the surrounding region to the coast. The coal mines went into decline in the 20th century, sending unemployment rates to hit 27% in the 1920s.

Newton Cap Viaduct, Bishop Auckland: Source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Newton_Cap_Viaduct-by-Neville-Davison.jpg
Author: Neville Davison


Today the economy of Bishop Auckland is based on manufacturing. It also has a strong retail sector with a number of shopping centers in town.

Visiting Bishop Auckland

Take the A1(M) motorway from London until Exit 60, then head west on the A689 road towards Bishop Auckland. The A689 continues as the A688 after the roundabout as you approach town.

Places of Interest in Bishop Auckland

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About this website

Hello and thanks for reading this page. My name is Timothy and my hobby is in describing places so that I can share the information with the general public. My website has become the go to site for a lot of people including students, teachers, journalists, etc. whenever they seek information on places, particularly those in Malaysia and Singapore. I have been doing this since 5 January 2003, for over twenty years already. You can read about me at Discover Timothy. By now I have compiled information on thousands of places, mostly in Peninsular Malaysia and Singapore, and I continue to add more almost every day. My goal is to describe every street in every town in Malaysia and Singapore.