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The town of Bishop Auckland is situated at the confluence of the River Wear and River Gaunless and has been an important market centre since medieval times. Its earlier history centred around the Castle and Park of Auckland which has been the principal residence of the Bishops of Durham since the twelfth century. Auckland Castle (Auckland Palace) began as a manor house built around 1183 by Bishop Pudsey but was later converted into a castle by Bishop Anthony Bek in the fourteenth century.
Bishop Anthony Bek (1284-1311) was a great hunting and fighting Bishop who favoured Auckland Palace as his main residence, rather than Durham Castle, because of its proximity to the hunting grounds of Weardale. The Bishop also took a keen interest in military affairs and was always ready to lead his army into battle against the Scots, as at the battle of Falkirk in 1300. Like Bishop Hugh Pudsey, Bishop Bek was not shy of controversy and on one occasion he even became involved in a dispute with the Archbishop of York, after refusing orders to excommunicate some Durham monks. The Archbishop was so infuriated that he decided to excommunicate Bishop Bek himself. However, Bek was not to be easily defeated and persuaded the King to reinstate him on the grounds that an Archbishop had no right to excommunicate a 'Prince Bishop' without the permission of the King.
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Market Place, Town Hall & St. Anne's Church - 2010
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