An ancient market town, Bishop Auckland is the largest town in Wear Valley. It lies at the point where Dere Street, the Roman Road from York to Corbridge and Hadrian's Wall, crosses the River Wear.

Its history as a seat of the Prince Bishops reaches back to the 12th century, and this link with the Prince Bishops was of great value to the town as it grew in importance, first as a market town and then as an industrial centre. The influence of the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham is evident in the magnificent surroundings of Auckland Castle, originally a place to entertain their great hunting parties, but today the home of the Bishop, an administrative centre, and also a venue for banquets, conferences, concerts and events.

There are excellent views of the town and river from Newton Cap Viaduct, on the road to Crook, which was built in 1856/57 to take the railway line linking Bishop Auckland with Willington, Brandon and Durham over the River Wear, and is scheduled as an ancient monument. The railway line closed in 1968 and more recently the Viaduct has been converted into a road to divert traffic off the nearby 14th century Bishop Skirlaw Bridge.

Today Bishop Auckland is a lively town and shopping centre with a busy market (Thursdays and Saturdays) and a good choice of cafes, pubs and hotels.

The distinctive town hall dominates the market place. It now houses a Tourist Information Centre, a cafe, art gallery and library. The town plays host to many cultural and theatrical events, including the annual Early Music Festival, and the Eden Theatre, also in Bishop Auckland Town Hall offers a wide variety of entertainment. There is also the Woodhouse Close leisure complex, which includes swimming pools, a fitness studio, sauna/solarium, and squash court.