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Ancient tower at Auckland Castle uncovered

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A team from our Department of Archaeology, in partnership with archaeologists and volunteers from The Auckland Project, has been uncovering the secrets beneath the lawns of County Durham's Auckland Castle.

The remains of a three-or-four-storey tower and the supports for a bridge and entrance from a medieval castle, which has not been seen for 450 years, have been uncovered.

Henry VI silver penny
Henry VI silver penny

Secrets uncovered

The team uncovered the steps to the tower, which dates from the mid-1300s, and the walls of the cellar, which includes the remains of a ceiling – a barrel vault which would have curved over the heads of those standing on the medieval floor beneath.

Amongst the stone foundations, the dig also uncovered a jetton, or ‘reckoning counter’, dating from 1350-80 which was found in one of the basement rooms of the tower. It would have been used as a counter on a large board to help with addition and subtraction, like an abacus.

The team also discovered a silver penny dating from the reign of Henry VI, which was minted by the Bishops of Durham between 1427-30. At the time, it would have been worth a gallon of ale or a couple of dozen eggs.

Photograph of central wall and steps
Photograph of central wall and steps

History of Auckland Castle

During the excavation, the team conducted substantial research on the sections found, and was able to discover that the tower suffered a series of structural failures when the building had to be repaired due to collapse or subsidence.

The tower and bridge have now been covered over with soil in order to preserve their features, and work is ongoing to display information and objects discovered so that visitors to the site will be able to see the findings for years to come.

 

 

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