Bishop's Palace, Wells facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Bishop's Palace |
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Croquet on the lawn of The Bishops Palace in front of the chapel
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| General information | |
| Town or city | Wells |
| Country | England |
| Coordinates | 51°12′33″N 2°38′33″W / 51.209293°N 2.64255°W |
| Construction started | c. 1210 |
| Client | Jocelin of Wells |
The Bishop's Palace is a historic home in Wells, England. It has been the home of the bishop of Bath and Wells for over 800 years. The palace is right next to Wells Cathedral. It is a very important old building, known as a Grade I listed building.
Building the palace started around 1210. Bishops Jocelin of Wells and Reginald Fitz Jocelin began the work. Later, Bishop Robert Burnell added the chapel and a large hall between 1275 and 1292. In the 14th century, Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury added the strong walls, a gatehouse, and a moat (a ditch filled with water). Bishop Thomas Beckington added the Bishop's House in the 15th century. Over time, the great hall became old and was partly taken down around 1830.
The palace used to have a deer park around it. When the walls were built, streams were moved to fill the moat. This moat also worked as a water storage area. In the 1820s, Bishop George Henry Law designed the gardens. He made a beautiful reflecting pond near the natural springs. Today, parts of the palace are still used by the bishop. But much of it is open to the public for visits and events.
Contents
A Look Back: History of the Palace
Construction of the Bishop's Palace began around 1210. Bishop Jocelin of Wells was a key figure in its early building. He also helped build parts of the cathedral and other important buildings in Wells. The chapel and the great hall were built between 1275 and 1292. These parts show off the beautiful Early English style. The windows had fancy stone designs. The ceiling also had cool stone carvings of oak leaves and the "Green Man".
Walls, Moat, and Gatehouse
In the 14th century, Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury added more to the palace. He built strong, 5 metres (16 ft) high crenellated walls. He also added a moat and a drawbridge. This was partly because he had some disagreements with the people of Wells. The three-story gatehouse was built in 1341. It has a bridge over the moat. The entrance was protected by a heavy gate, a portcullis (a heavy metal gate that drops down), and a drawbridge. Defenders could even pour hot liquids on attackers from above!
The drawbridge was still used in 1831. It was closed when news came of attacks on other bishops' homes. This happened during the Bristol riots. These riots were about changes to voting laws. People wanted fairer representation in government. Even though there were riots elsewhere, Wells remained peaceful. The moat was filled by natural springs. It also helped power watermills in the town.
Changes Over the Centuries
The north wing, now called the Bishop's House, was added in the 15th century by Bishop Thomas Beckington. It was changed again in the 18th century and in 1810. Later, it was restored and divided by Benjamin Ferrey between 1846 and 1854. In the 1550s, Bishop Barlow sold the lead from the roof of the great hall. The great hall was mostly taken down around 1830 by Bishop George Henry Law. He wanted to make it look like a "picturesque ruin."
The palace was used by soldiers during the English Civil War. It was also a prison for rebels after the Monmouth Rebellion. In 1703, Bishop Richard Kidder and his wife sadly died when chimneys fell on them during a big storm. The palace was restored again in the 1840s and 1850s. Stained glass from old French churches was used in the chapel.
In 1953, the palace was officially named a Grade I listed building. This means it is a very important historical site.
The Glastonbury Chair
You can see one of the two remaining Glastonbury chairs at the palace. It was made in Britain around 1504. It was created for a monk named John Arthur Thorne. He was the treasurer at Glastonbury Abbey. This type of chair was used by the last Abbot of Glastonbury during his trial at the Bishop's Palace.
The Palace Today
The palace is now managed by The Palace Trust. The main palace is open to visitors. You can explore the medieval undercroft (a vaulted room below ground), the chapel, and a long gallery. The Bishop's House is still used as a home and offices. There is also a café with views of the Croquet Lawn. The palace is a popular place for weddings, conferences, and meetings.
The palace has also been a filming location! It appeared in the 2007 comedy Hot Fuzz. More recently, it was seen in the 2016 film The Huntsman. Other TV shows like Galavant and Poldark have also filmed scenes here.
In 2014, it was decided that the new Bishop of Bath and Wells, Peter Hancock, would live in the palace. This was after some discussion about where the bishop should live.
Palace Design: Architecture
The Bishop's Eye
The Bishop's Palace is part of a special area called the Liberty of St Andrew. This area includes the cathedral, the palace, and other clergy homes. You can enter the palace grounds from the market place through an archway called The Bishop's Eye. It was built around 1450 by Bishop Beckington. It's a three-story stone building with a copper roof. It's also a Grade I listed building. The Bishop's Eye looks similar to the Penniless Porch, which is another gateway into the Cathedral.
The Bishop's Palace Building
The palace building has two floors and seven sections. It has three gables (the triangular part of a wall under a sloping roof). Inside, you'll find a hall, a solar (a private living room), and a gallery. It has stone floors and a fireplace from the 16th century.
Next to the main building is a chapel. It was built in the late 13th century. The remains of the great hall show it was once a very large room with tall windows.
The Bishop's House
The Bishop's House has two narrow parts with a small courtyard. The front of the building has crenellated walls (like a castle). The rooms inside have been changed many times. But you can still see parts from the 15th century, like a doorway and oak screens. Some of the windows still have pieces of stained glass from the 16th century.
Exploring the Grounds
In the 13th century, the palace grounds included a medieval deer park. King John gave Bishop Jocelin permission for this park in 1207. The palace also had orchards, a herb garden, and kitchen gardens. These provided food for the bishop and his staff.
Today, there are 14 acres (5.7 ha) of beautiful gardens. They include St Andrew's Spring, which gives the city of Wells its name. Water flows from this spring into the moat at a fast rate. The water comes from the cave system of the Mendip Hills. The Well House was built in 1451. It provided water to the people of Wells in the market place.
The gardens are very special and are listed as Grade II* on the Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of special historic interest in England.
The grounds also include The Bishop's Barn. This barn was built in the 15th century to store crops. The area next to it is now a public park.
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Much of the current garden design was done by Bishop George Henry Law in the 1820s. He included the remains of the great hall in his design. He also created a grotto (a small cave-like structure) to show off fossils. Many different trees and shrubs were planted, including a black walnut and a Lebanon cedar. In the 1830s, Bishop Law created a pool next to the springs. On a calm day, you can see the reflection of the cathedral in the water.
In the outer garden, there is an arboretum (a collection of trees). It was planted in 1977 to celebrate Queen Elizabeth II's Silver Jubilee. The mute swans on the moat are famous! They have been trained to ring bells by pulling strings when they want food. The first swans were trained in the 1870s. Even today, swans given by Queen Elizabeth II in 2006 still ring for lunch!
Every August, the moat hosts the Wells Moat Boat Race. This is a fun charity raft race. In 2007, the Bishop even entered a raft!
See also
- Grade I listed buildings in Mendip
