Bishop's Palace, Ely facts for kids

The Bishop's Palace

The Bishop's Palace in Ely was once a home for the Bishop of Ely, who was a church leader in the area. It was used by them from the 1400s until 1941. This palace is a very old and important building, officially known as a Grade I listed building.

A Look Back in Time

Building the Palace

The palace was first built in the 1400s by a church leader named Bishop John Alcock. From his original building, only two towers are still standing today. Bishop Alcock also finished another palace in Wisbech (which is now called Wisbech Castle), and he passed away there in the year 1500. Over the next few centuries, different bishops added to the palace and changed parts of it.

Later Uses of the Palace

During the Second World War, the Bishop's Palace was used by the British Red Cross as a base to help people. After the war, it became a home for children with disabilities. This home stayed open until the 1980s.

Later, a charity called Sue Ryder Care leased the palace for a very long time. However, the palace was put up for sale again in 2010.

The Palace Today

In 2010, a local school called King's Ely took over the lease from Sue Ryder Care. They fixed up the palace to make it a new study centre for their older students, called a sixth form centre. The new centre was officially opened on Friday, January 25, 2013, by Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester.

Images for kids

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  Bishop's Palace (in the front) with Ely Cathedral in the background (January 2022)