Southwell Archbishops Palace

Description

Medieval bishop's palace of the archbishop of York, built in 1360, in ruins during the Civil War, present building which integrates the old ruins was built in 1906, all that remains of original building is external walling, which now surrounds C20 garden. (PastScape)

Bishop's Manor (official residence of the Bishop of Southwell) and remains of Bishop's Palace. Bishop's palace probably built for Archbishop Alexander Neville and Archbishop Arundel between c1379 and 1396. Rebuilt and extended for Archbishop John Kemp, 1426-36, and extended for Archbishop Rotherham c1490. Occupied 1647 by the Scots Commissioners and largely demolished. House built in former Great Hall, late C18. Former State Chamber restored for suffragan Bishop Edward Trollope, 1881. Bishop's Manor, incorporating the C18 house and the west range of the former palace, by W D Caroe, 1905, in a vernacular revival style. Palace remains are roofless ruins enclosing a square courtyard. Coursed squared rubble and ashlar with ashlar dressings. Chamfered plinths, quoins and string courses. 4 bay south side has square headed window openings on 2 floors, and 2 square garderobe towers, the larger one, to east, with a spiral stair and unusual radial 4-seat arrangement. To its left, in the angle, a corbelled stair turret, and to left again, a restored external stack with octagonal shaft. Inner face has a fireplace on each floor, the upper one with a moulded surround, and 2 carved corbels. 7 bay east side has mainly square headed openings on 2 floors. At each end, a gable with remains of a large traceried lancet window. Between them, a near-central external stack, and to its right a garderobe tower. Inner face has a fireplace on each floor, the upper one with an elaborate arcaded lintel. Lower north side, 2 bays, has an off-centre stack and a simple fireplace on the inner face. Restored 3-bay great Chamber, to north west, ashlar with plain tile roof, has plinth, string course, coped gables, and to west, diagonal buttresses. West gable has a double transomed 4-light lancet with panel tracery. North side has an off-centre external stack and to its left, 2 transomed double lancets with hood moulds, and 2 gabled buttresses. Below, 4 square headed windows of various sizes. To its left, a 2-storey porch, c1881, with a canted cross mullioned oriel window, and below, a moulded round headed doorway. To left again, former private chapel, c1881, coursed rubble and ashlar with plain tile roof. Central lean-to projection flanked by single lancets. East end has a squat segment headed 5-light lancet. Bishop's manor, roughcast and colourwashed, has ashlar dressings and hipped and gabled plain tile roof. Plinth, 6 side wall and 2 gable stacks, most of them with round shafts. Windows are mainly mullioned and cross mullioned casements with leaded glazing. Irregular west entrance front, 3 storeys, 8 windows, has an off-centre 3 storey tower porch with diagonal buttresses and a segment headed doorway covering a door to the screens passage of the original palace. South side has a 2 storey block to the left, 3 windows, with a square 2 storey bay window on the left. Central moulded C14 doorway, formerly the kitchen access of the original palace. To its right, 2 renewed double lancets with flat heads and hood moulds. To the right, a higher block, 2 storeys plus attics, with 4 cusped double lancets with flat heads. Above, 3 box dormers. Below, an off-centre door with overlights and side lights, flanked by single double lancets. To left, a similar double lancet. These openings have linked hood moulds. Rear elevation, C18 house with 3 glazing bar sashes and above, 4 box dormers. Below, 3 round headed glazing bar sashes. State chamber interior has an arch braced triple purlin roof with collars and wind braces, on angel corbels, some of them medieval. North side has a restored moulded fireplace with billeted frieze, and moulded arch with shafts to bay window. East end has a double chamfered C14 doorway each side. Porch has moulded C14 style doorways and C19 stone staircase. Bishop's Manor interior has the triple arched opening to the pantry and buttery of the original palace, and fragments of the Great Hall west window. (Norman Summers: A Prospect of Southwell: London: 1974-: 48-56; Buildings of England: E Williamson: Nottinghamshire: Harmondsworth: 1979-: 329 - 330). (Listed building description)