The Spanish art hidden in the English countryside: The treasure of Bishop Auckland

Twelve miles southwest of Durham, the place where it can be said that everything officially began, lies Bishop Auckland, a small market town and civil parish that hides one of the greatest surprises of the British route of the English Way: the Spanish Gallery, a museum that brings together works by some of the most prominent figures of the Spanish Golden Age (16th and 17th centuries).

Although the works displayed on its walls are centuries old, the museum itself is relatively recent. In 2012, the Church of England decided to sell a series of twelve paintings by Francisco de Zurbarán that had hung on the walls of Auckland Castle for more than 250 years.

Faced with this situation, the philanthropist and financier Jonathan Ruffer bought both the paintings and the castle to prevent the collection from being dispersed. From that moment on, The Auckland Project was born, an urban regeneration plan centred around the Spanish Gallery.

In October 2021, the gallery opened its doors, located in two renovated historic buildings: a former bank (Backhouse Bank) and a Victorian school. In April 2022, Queen Letizia, together with the then Prince Charles, inaugurated what is the first museum entirely dedicated to Spanish art in the United Kingdom.

With spaces that evoke the sobriety and mysticism of Spanish art, it includes a recreation of a Castilian courtyard and ceilings reminiscent of Mudéjar architecture. Inside, 120 pieces can be seen, including highlights such as Benjamin (Francisco de Zurbarán), San Pedro (El Greco), and Retrato de la Madre Jerónima de la Fuente (Diego Velázquez).

In addition to celebrating Spanish art, Bishop Auckland has established itself as a starting point for modern pilgrims since the route connecting it to the port of Durham was formally inaugurated in 2023, allowing pilgrims to have their credentials stamped both at the gallery and at Auckland Castle.

This museum also adds a spiritual dimension to the English Way. As visitors move through its rooms filled with saints and martyrs, they are, in a way, in Spain before even crossing the sea.

To complete the experience, the Faith Museum was recently inaugurated alongside the gallery, a centre that explores how religious faith has shaped the history of Great Britain, creating a bridge between the local Anglican tradition and the Catholicism of the Spanish art found in Bishop Auckland. Bishop Auckland.