By Kynren, the epic scale outdoor performance at Bishop Auckland in northeast England, has announced plans to build a brand-new historical theme park, Kynren – The Storied Lands.
Kynren – An Epic Tale of England is a massive 90-minute theatrical show presented on summer evenings on a seven-and-a-half acre stage with a cast and crew of 1,000 volunteers who tell the tale of two thousand years of English history, myth and legend – everything from King Arthur, through the Tudor dynasty, to the Victorians and two world wars. The show, which opened in July 2016, was modelled on the award-winning Cinéscénie produced by Puy du Fou in France, who helped develop it.
Puy du Fou’s pattern for global expansion (with the exception of their current plans for Oxfordshire) has been to first create an epic outdoor show, and then when it is established, to build a supporting theme park. It’s how they grew in the Vendée region of France in France, and it has been their strategy in Spain, the USA and China. Kynren are following that same pattern.
Set to open in summer 2026, subject to final planning approval, The Storied Lands will be a spectacular daytime attraction within the wider Kynren park in Bishop Auckland, featuring regular shows, displays and immersive experiences. The first phase of development will have five shows and experiences, set in beautifully landscaped historical backdrops, and focusing on British history, myth, and legend.
Phase one of the park will feature five shows and immersive experiences.
As visitors step into the park, they will be transported back to Neolithic Britain and the era of the first settlers. Moving deeper into the experience, they will encounter an all-new Viking show, where warriors clash, sparks fly, and fires rage in an interactive multi-sensory spectacle of Norse life.
In The Legend of the Wear, (feature image)a giant lake becomes the stage for thrilling water stunts and a captivating retelling of the Lambton Worm myth. The audience will be left in awe as the monstrous, cursed creature emerges from the waters in an unforgettable spectacle.
Another highlight is The Lost Feather, a captivating and visually stunning experience centered around the relationship between birds and humanity. Set on a stage inspired by a bird’s nest, this show will explore the beauty, power, and fragility of bird species from around the world, highlighting their struggles and triumphs in a rapidly changing environment.
Then step into the gaslit streets of Victorian England and find yourself swept up in the sights, sounds, and stories of the era, where everyday life is filled with drama, discovery, and larger-than-life characters.
The a park’s biggest show is Fina, an epic spectacle where medieval knights clash on horseback, and a fearless female warrior’s courage and skill are put to the test in a breath-taking display of horsemanship and daring stunts.
Future phases of development will introduce more planned attractions such as The Lone Centurion, Tales of the Tudors, Conquest of the Seas, and legendary stories such as Excalibur and Robin Hood, ensuring that each visit offers something fresh and exciting.
Meanwhile, the main show Kynren – An Epic Tale of England will be playing as usual, every Saturday from 19 July – 13 September.
(Photos: Courtesy 11 Arches)
Hi,
Found your blog when I was trying to plan for a trip to Normandie. Very good!
There are sooo many museums, and I can see you have visited a lot of them.
If you have to say 3-4 museums you need to see when your are there, which are they?
So far I have listed:
D day Experience museum
Normandie victory museum
Bauyerx museum
Caen Memorial
And now I also found Utah Museum.
What do you think?
Hi Denise,
Wow… a really hard question because there are so many of them!
Your list is good, but it’ll depend on how long/packed your programme is, and what things you are interested in. For example if you want to see lots of military kit, try the Overlord Museum (near the American Cemetery). If you want to see more about the effect of war on combatants & civilians, then the Caen Memorial is good. So too is the the Juno Beach Centre, which concentrates on the Canadian citizen soldiers. The Bayeux museum (Memorial Museum of the Battle of Normandy) is good at looking at some of the less obvious aspects, such as the role of the war correspondents, the grave diggers, etc. And it is next to the largest Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Normandy.
That may be your best way through this. To focus on museums where you can see other things at the same time. The most obvious example would be the D-Day Landing Museum at Arromanches (recently re-built and expanded). Park in the car parks on the clifftop overlooking the extraordinary remains of the Mulberry harbour, see all the memorials up there, and the Arromanches 360 degree cinema if you want, then walk down into the town and visit the D-Day Landing Museum.
D-Day Experience museum stands at an important road junction (Dead Man’s Corner) and is three experiences in one: the small Dead Man’s Corner museum which is set up as it was when the German Parachute Division was holding it, a cinema, and the Experience itself which tries to recreate a simulated US paratrooper’s experience. (It was a bit controversial when it was being developed a few years ago. Some veterans’ organisation felt it was ‘Disneyfying’ their service). Personally I think the large Airborne Museum in Sainte-Mere-Eglise does it better. There, visitors just walk through a C-47 transport aircraft while sound and flashes of light set the scene. The Airborne Museum is one of the key museums in Normandy, but, as a result, usually very busy!
I totally approve of the Utah Beach Museum. Lots to see inside and outside. And I’m very fond of the Normandy Victory Museum, but this may be the one to leave for your next visit. It’s a large museum with lots of interesting stuff… and a good place to stop for a bistro lunch!
Other outlying museums that probably won’t fit into your programme… at the east end, the Merville Battery museum. Not enough people visit this site which was designed to shell Sword Beach and Ouistreham. Nearby is the Famous Pegasus Bridge and its museum. And at the other end of the Seine Bay, the Cherbourg Liberation Museum with spectacular views over Cherbourg.
I was quickly looking up what I had said about a couple of these, and realised I hadn’t written them up for the blog, but for the book! I can’t not promote it, because everything you need is in it!