 Prior to 1836 the bishop had significant temporal powers over the Liberty of Durham and later the County Palatine of Durham.For centuries, each bishop lived in Durham Castle from its construction in the 11th century.In 1832, Auckland Castle became the official residence of the bishops of Durham until July 2012 when ownership of the castle was transferred over to the Auckland Castle Trust, a charitable foundation with the aim of beginning a major restoration of the grounds and castle and creating permanent exhibitions on the history of Christianity in Britain and the North East.