I am a child of the North born and schooled in County Durham with my roots firmly embedded in the Mining Industry. My Father worked at East Hetton Pit in Kelloe and then was transferred to Easington when the Village pit was closed in 1983. I have vivid memories of his work and its dangers. The Miners Strike of 1984 took place in the middle year of my theological training at Westcott House in Cambridge. It is fair to say that some of my fellow students were ambivalent about such action. One of my contemporaries was the son of a Cabinet minister. 

My Father ( a moderate union man) predicted that this was a pretext for a political decision to withdraw from coal. The grounds were shaped more by politics than any commitment to ecological sustainability. The rest they say is history.

The geography of County Durham is populated with former pit villages. The pragmatic and resilient Wearsiders have mostly found employment in other places but a lack of investment has had its effects. Recovery and Reinvestment are ongoing.

I remember inn the late 1960s and 1970s  Bishop Auckland as a market town. A trip there on a Saturday with my parents was a real treat. However, since the demise of the mining industry, like many British towns, it has been affected by an economic and social decline. This morning I drove to the town to visit the Spanish Gallery which a part the The Auckland Project https://aucklandproject.org/about-us/ and the inspiring vision of Jonathan Ruffer https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonathan_Ruffer#Philanthropy. His ambitions and achievements are remarkable.

At the heart of this work is Auckland Castle – the former home of Bishops of Durham. I have happy memories of a visit there as an undergraduate to listen to John Habgood talk about the ASB and liturgical reform https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alternative_Service_Book. It is a magnificent building but became increasingly difficult to sustain. Ruffer has engaged in a transformative project if regeneration. He is passionate about discovering and nurturing a sense of community, investment, entertainment, heritage and culture.

Before a family meal I decided to take a short drive to Bishop Auckland. I was surprised to see the state of the town with business closed and major stores moved out into a nearby shopping centre. I wanted to visit the Spanish Gallery and goodness what a treat ! The building ( a former bank) has been transformed into four floors of glorious open space. 

The gallery focuses on 16th and 17th Century Spanish Art with some stunning masterpieces by artists including El Greco, Murillo, Zurbarán and Velázquez. Its theme is the Spanish golden age and includes some profound pieces of religious art.  I was taken by the restoration of the building and the skilled lay out of the Art.

I know little of this period of Art and history so was appreciative of the carefully crafted commentary that offered a picture of the context of European cultural and religious history. It was accessible. There was enough space to wander through the four floors of sculpture and pictures. The lighting was skilful and Ruffer’s own commentary invitational and carefully crafted. 

St Francis, Jerome, the Adoration of the Shepherds, St James the Great, the Annunciation, Mary Magdalene, the Woman of Samaria  drew this visitor into attentiveness and wonder. 

There is a tenderness and vulnerability to many of these pieces of work. Fragility and transience shapes the shape of the art where death and devotion colour the emotion of the ‘encounter’. This was transforming and generative.

I hope that the Gallery will draw in many who want to notice and imagine and lament and be amazed at the skill of these artists.  I want to learn more about the tears and encounters and spiritual life of these saints and a communities of faith. Thank you Jonathan Ruffer and all those who welcomed me into the space.