Bishop Auckland millionaire hopes to raise £1m for Henry III treasure

Unusually, today's Object of the Week, is not in the North East - for the moment, anyway.

It's a tapestry, commissioned by Henry VIII in 1534 at the time he broke from Rome and became Supreme Head of the Church of England. Lost for 200 years, it reappeared in the 1970s and found its way to Spain.

It was finally identified as the missing work of art just a few years ago.

The tapestry, woven with silk, gold and silver, was commissioned by Henry VIII in 1534. Lost for 200 years, Jonathan Ruffer wants to bring it to Bishop Auckland (Image: THE AUCKLAND PROJECT)

Now it is up for sale, but an export ban means that it cannot leave Spain – unless an appropriate British institution can acquire it. If so, through the goodwill of the Spanish Ministry of Culture, the import ban can be lifted.

Millionaire philanthropist Jonathan Ruffer, the man behind charities The Auckland Project and 11Arches, is leading a campaign to buy a £4.2m tapestry and house it in Bishop Auckland’s Faith Museum.

Read more: North East visitor attraction deemed world class as it scoops prestigious award

The project to save the tapestry, which is woven with silk, gold and silver, has been building throughout 2023 as high profile figures, local businesses, community representatives, trusts and supporters have rallied to help The Auckland Project bring it back to the UK.

Mr Ruffer’s charity is seeking to raise £1m through a public appeal, which will demonstrate widespread support for saving this national treasure.

Jonathan Ruffer, founder of The Auckland Project (Image: BARRY PELLS/THE AUCKLAND PROJECT)

More than £370,000 has already been raised, and a JustGiving page (www.justgiving.com/campaign/tapestry) has been set up for people to pledge their support.

Mr Ruffer believes the brand new Faith Museum at Auckland Castle – opening on October 7 – is the perfect place for the tapestry.

The castle saw extensive building work during the Tudor era, and the Prince Bishops of Durham included Henry VIII’s advisors Thomas Wolsey and Cuthbert Tunstall.

Now as the campaign enters its next phase, 11Arches is throwing its weight behind the campaign. The charity’s flagship show, Kynren – an epic tale of England brings to life 2,000 years of British history, myths and legends performed by a 1,000-strong cast and crew.

For last night's show and the final show of the season next week (Saturday, September 9), visitors will see the tapestry projected across a water screen during a recreation of one of the most extravagant events of Henry VIII’s reign, the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

A recreation at Kynren of one of the most extravagant events of Henry VIII’s reign, the Field of the Cloth of Gold (Image: THE AUCKLAND PROJECT)

Edward Perry, CEO of The Auckland Project said: “If we can raise the funds to buy this tapestry, one of the most remarkable works of art of the Tudor Age will be on display in the North, enabling generations of people to be inspired and informed by its story.

Read about previous Objects of the Week here:

• How Neddy the bull fighter survived drunken antics on a Bishop Auckland bridge
• A fine mess – but Stan’s statue stands proud
• Whose body once hung from this landmark, following an appalling crime?

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"This is no ordinary object, and this is not an ordinary town – the role they have both played in the nation’s history deserves to be celebrated.”

Anne-Isabelle Daulon, CEO of 11Arches added: “The significance of this tapestry – its role in history, its exquisite quality, and its intriguing story – is not just a thing of the past, it has a relevance in our modern world.

"Highlighting how the thread of history creates the story of each and every one of us is at the heart of Kynren, and we are proud to support the campaign by giving the tapestry a temporary nest in our show until it finds a permanent home in the Faith Museum right here in Bishop Auckland.”