The Auckland Project has launched a series of free theatrical walking tours to celebrate the hidden history of the women of Bishop Auckland.
The ‘We Were Here’ walking tours shine a light on the women of Bishop Auckland through interactive story-telling, supported by costume and conversation.
Participants will learn more about the fascinating women from Bishop Auckland’s history including Mrs Moule, the Bishop’s wife in Victorian Britain, Eleanor Jackson, a recusant Catholic who may or may not have plotted against the king in 1605, alongside other women who worked, shopped and lived in Bishop Auckland Market Place.
Jilly Johnston, Transformative Arts Officer at The Auckland Project, is delivering the tours with Jo Grant and Lucy Ridley. Jilly said: “It is a privilege to be able to share the stories of the ‘missing’ women of Bishop Auckland. The walking tours are a bit of fun with some unexpected, and sometimes difficult, stories to tell.”
The ‘We Were Here’ walking tours have been designed to complement the ‘Missing Women’ exhibition currently on display in Auckland Castle and Bishop Auckland Town Hall.
Thirteen biblical portraits by Francisco de Zurbarán hang in Auckland Castle, depicting Jacob and his twelve sons. The women in their lives go unrecorded. Inspired by these ‘Missing Women’, five groups of young people from the Bishop Auckland area and five professional artists have created collaborative exhibitions of work – ‘Missing Women’ and ‘With Dinah’ – to give these women a voice and create a platform for the young people’s self-expression. Missing Women is a collaborative project led by Creative Youth Opportunities, The Auckland Project and Bishop Auckland Town Hall.
The ‘We Were Here’ walking tours continue on Wednesday 29 March at 10am, Saturday 1 April at 1pm, Wednesday 17 May at 1pm and Saturday 27 May at 10am.
The tours are free to attend and last approximately one hour, starting at Auckland Tower, before moving through the Market Place. The tours are fully accessible and are suitable for participants aged 16+. Please wear suitable clothing.
To book free tickets for the ‘We Were Here’ walking tours, to purchase tickets for Auckland Castle, or to find out more about The Auckland Project, please visit www.aucklandproject.org
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