DUACE2025

Day 5 - We have walls! We have finds! We have a tower? 1) uncovering a large stone surface which has the trench playing the game “Tower or Buttress?”, 2) chasing the curtain wall in the top trench, & 3) finding amazing things (such as a base of a small cauldron).

@arcdurham.bsky.social

Day 4 - A day of recording, finds, and fashion! From recording the well from Day 3, to medieval pottery, a bishop’s roasted pig, to site fashion…It’s been a full day of #archaeology with the @arcdurham.bsky.social students!

Day 3 - Well, well, well…we have a well/spring! Just in time too as it may help keep us all cool as we enter some warmer days on site…meanwhile, some interesting mortar-material has appeared in the #archarology of Trench D.

📸 Photo 1- Jamie Armstrong
Photos 2, 3- Intern Tom
@arcdurham.bsky.social

Day 2 - We have a couple of trenches open this year w/ plenty to get through to reach the #archaeology. May that be turf or the backfill of previous years, the team has taken it on in stride!

(The Auckland Project is running trench tours Wed-Sun, 13.00!)

📸 - Jamie Armstrong

@arcdurham.bsky.social

Day 1- our final season of #archaeology excavations in Bishop Auckland! @arcdurham.bsky.social students received their site briefing and off they went chasing walls and drains!

Follow along for the next three weeks to see what we find…

2025 – The Final Year! Follow along or visit us to find out what we may discover as we return to the North Terrace following our 2023 and 2024 discoveries.

2024- ⛏️ Excavated Sir Arthur Haselrig’s 17th c. house built following his destruction of Bishop Bek’s chapel; further excavations on the North Terrace following our 2023 discoveries.

📝 Blog: t.co/VnB7Fv0y2n

📰 News: www.durham.ac.uk/departments/...

🎬 Television: BBC - Digging for Britain

2023- ⛏️ Investigated features throughout the Deer Park including: the fishponds, a post-medieval lodge and ice house, and what was supposedly a Roman road but turned into Victorian field drains.

📰 News: aucklandproject.org/news/histori...

Bonus 2022 cohort- The Bishop Big Dig (@thebishopbigdig) ⛏️ Dug 107 test pits across Bishop Auckland throughout 2022 in partnership with @KJIAcademy and @aucklandproject

🎬 Documentary: vimeo.com/891591104?sh...

📝 Report: collections.durham.ac.uk/files/r2rv04...

💻 Web: thebishopbigdig.com

2022 - ⛏️ Finished in Bishop Bek’s chapel. Cont. to excavate along the curtain wall.

📝 Blogs: studentblog.webspace.durham.ac.uk/the-auckland...

studentblog.webspace.durham.ac.uk/whats-it-lik...

studentblog.webspace.durham.ac.uk/in-pursuit-o...

studentblog.webspace.durham.ac.uk/getting-busy...

2020/2021- ⛏️Following a missed 2020 season, 2021 saw two cohorts featuring first and second years. Excavated part of Bishop Bek’s chapel alongside part of the curtain wall and castle keep.

🎬 Video: m.youtube.com/watch?v=RUPm...

📝 Blog: duaceblog.wixsite.com/2021/blog

2019- ⛏️Excavations on the north terrace of Auckland Castle.

📝 Blog:
- t.co/RN5L0H2rkI

2018 - ⛏️ First discovery of part of Bishop Bek’s medieval chapel alongside the medieval kitchens.

📝 Blog(s):
- t.co/aILr3XMQBU
- t.co/Bu9rQXIgSe

Starting Monday, we welcome the 2025 (& final) cohort of @arcdurham.bsky.social / @durham-university.bsky.social 1st years to their 1st field training in #archaeology @aucklandproject!

🧵- An overview of last seasons (2018-2024).

Visit/follow for daily updates!

Welcome to the new Bluesky page for the @arcdurham.bsky.social / Auckland Project #archaeology excavations! Preparations are underway for the 2025 season - (primarily stocking-up the coffee!). Be sure to follow along for what will be our -Final- season at Auckland Castle!