I asked him how it got started.

Well, I determined on coming to somewhere which was voiceless and down on its fortunes.

And because I came from the northeast, I felt that Durham would be the likely place that it would be because Northumberland has a character, Yorkshire has a character.

Durham struggles to find an expression of who it is.

And when I was looking, the church commissioners looked to sell a set of Zurbaran pictures in Auckland Palace.

The Prince Bishop of the day had bought the set of 12 patriarchs and Jacob the father.

I'm very gaudy, and given that I collect this Baroque stuff, I thought, well, if everyone wanted a signal as to where to come, this was probably it.

Museum.