Sitting opposite Jonathan Ruffer in the green-walled drawing room of his house in Bishop Auckland, in County Durham, I realised, as I crossed my legs, that I had gravel dust all over my shoes. It was a stifling day, and outside the window the noise of angle grinders and the clanging of scaffolding poles lent a sense of urgency to what would otherwise have been a languid afternoon. I had enjoyed the privilege of a preview of the new Faith Museum at Auckland Castle, and had sunk into a sofa to speak to the man behind the project.