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The remains of a ‘lost’ 17th-century house built by a friend of Oliver Cromwell has been rediscovered during excavations at Auckland Castle in County Durham.
During the Interregnum (the period between the execution of Charles I in 1649 and the Restoration of Charles II in 1660), the bishopric of Durham was abolished, and prominent Parliamentarian Sir Arthur Haselrig took advantage of this to purchase the castle and other properties previously owned by the Church. He promptly demolished its 13th-century chapel, apparently using gunpowder, and incorporated the stone into his new house, which was built c.1650.
After the Restoration, however, Haselrig was imprisoned. He later died in the Tower of London, and the new Bishop of Durham (John Cosin) decided to demolish the house, possibly due to the fact that it had been constructed from consecrated stone. Now a team of archaeologists from Durham University, working with experts from the Auckland Project, have brought traces of the residence to light once more.
This summer, excavations confirmed that parts of the demolished chapel had been reused in the house, and the team was also able to trace this material to renovations by Cosin, when he transformed the site’s medieval banqueting hall into a new chapel. The investigations shed light on the site’s layout as well, establishing that Haselrig’s house had a sizeable double-pile structure with cellars below. After its demolition, surviving foundations were cut through by an entrance carriage drive created by Cosin.
In terms of artefacts, the only objects recovered from the structure appear to have belonged to the workmen hired for its construction and demolition; this might suggest that the house was never fully functioning, and that Haselrig did not get the chance to move in before his imprisonment. Other discoveries have revealed traces of the site’s earlier ecclesiastical use. On the north side of the bishop’s palace was a large rubbish dump that was in use in the 16th and 17th centuries. Chris Gerrard, Professor in the Department of Archaeology at Durham University, believes this probably represents infill of the later medieval gardens, which were in this area of the castle. ‘We found the circuit wall at the base, with dumps of kitchen waste and clearance piling up behind. This waste probably relates to the remodelling of the site as some medieval buildings were being cleared away and the new palace became more of a home for the bishop,’ he explained.
This refuse contained a wealth of archaeological material, including animal bone, pottery, fragments of stained glass from windows, glass from vessels, some coins and jettons, and personal accessories such as rings. A particularly beautiful find was a gold strap mount or strap-fitting, shaped into a small flower, which would have been a luxurious clothing or belt decoration.
The Haselrig house trench will be open for visitors to view until November, and a final season of excavations is expected to take place at Auckland Castle in June 2025. You can read more about the work of the Auckland Project at http://www.aucklandproject.org.
Text: Rebecca Preedy / Images: Megan Olshefski, Chris Gerrard
