Salisbury Bishops Palace and Cathedral Close (The Gatehouse Record)

Description

Bishop's palace situated to the southeast of the Cathedral in The Close. It was established during the 1220s and crenallated during C14. The palace has undergone many phases of construction, alterations and repairs. It was restored during mid C15 and extended some time after 1568. A chapel is first documented in 1588. Parts of the palace were demolished post 1648, with the surviving elements being converted into an inn and tenements. However rebuilding took place during the 1660s with further additions taking place during later C17 and early C18. The palace was refurbished during late C18 with further additions constructed though out C19. Parts were demolished in 1931. Part of the palace was used by Bishop Wordsworth School in 1890. It has been used by the Cathedral School from 1947. (PastScape)

The bishop's place grew from his first residence called 'New Place' already established by 1219. (V.C.H. Wilts. iii. 165) The first simple building was added to and altered by succeeding bishops until it gained its present form of a series of irregular buildings running from east to west, the most striking feature being a late 15th- or early-16th-century tower with its decorated turret. A 15th-century bedchamber was converted into a chapel in the mid-16th century. (Braun 1958) Part of the original building survives in the vaulted undercroft known as Bishop Poore's Hall. This was restored by Bishop Wordsworth in 1889. (Wordsworth and Reeve 1891) During the Commonwealth the palace was let out by the corporation in tenements, one of which was kept as an inn by a Dutch tailor. After these depredations the house was completely restored by Bishop Seth Ward. The gardens were laid out and a lake formed in the mid-19th century, at which time the stables and an entrance lodge were added. In 1947 the Church Commissioners exchanged the palace with the dean and chapter for Mompesson House. The palace then became the premises of the Cathedral School, and the bishop moved his residence for a time to Mompesson House. (VCH 1962)

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1327 Aug 31 (Click on the date for details of this licence.).
A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1337 Aug 30.
A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1377 July 20.

Sources of information, references and further reading

National Heritage List for England Listed Building number(s) 1251561
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s) 217713.
County Historic Environment Record (or Sites and Monuments Record) number(s) SU12NW512.

Websites (Gatehouse is not responsible for the content of external websites.)
- Wikipedia entry
Books
- Smith, P.L., 2013, The Bishop's Palace at Salisbury (Reading: Spire Books)
  Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 627-9
  Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p. 18, 24, 37, 80-1, 90, 105, 129, 207, 218, 237, 256
  Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 167, 168, 184
  RCHME, 1993, 'Houses in the Close' in Ancient and Historical Monuments in the City of Salisbury Vol. 2 (HMSO)
  Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report 61) p. 92-116 online copy
  King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol. 2
  RCHME, 1977, 'City defences' in Ancient and Historical Monuments in the City of Salisbury Vol. 1 (HMSO) p. 50-51 online transcription
  Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) The plans and topography of medieval towns in England and Wales (CBA Research Report 14) p. 57-71 plan p. 66 download/view online
  Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London)
  Rogers, J.H., 1969, 'Salisbury' in Lobel, M.D. (ed), Historic Towns: Maps and Plans of Towns and Cities in the British Isles, with Historical Commentaries, from Earliest Times to 1800 Vol. 1 (London: Lovell Johns-Cook, Hammond and Kell Organization) p. 1-9 online copy
  Crittal, Eliz. (ed), 1962, 'Salisbury: The liberty of the close' VCH Wiltshire Vol. 6 p. 72-9 online transcription
  Rugh, R.B. and Crittall, E. (eds), 1956, VCH Wiltshire Vol. 3 p. 165 online transcription
  Morewood, Caroline C., 1910, 'Introductory Chapter' in Rait, R.S. (ed), English Episcopal Palaces (Province of Canterbury) (London; Constable & Co) p. 25-8 online copy
  Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 328, 408, 411 online copy
Periodical Articles
- Richardson, Amanda, 2003, 'Corridors of power : a case study in access analysis from medieval England' Antiquity Vol. 77 p. 373-84
  1997, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol. 90 p. 156-7 (minor geophysical survey and excavation report)
  Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 69-100 see online copy
  1963, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol. 58 p. 452-3 (minor excavation report) online copy
  Braun, H., 1958, 'Notes on Bishop's Palace' Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol. 57 p. 405-7 online copy
  Wordsworth, J., 1891, 'The Bishop's Palace at Salisbury' Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol. 25 p. 165- online copy
  Reeve, J.A., 1891, 'Notes on the Architectural History of the Palace' Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol. 25 p. 181-89 online copy
Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
- Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1891, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1327-30) Vol. 1 p. 159 online copy
  Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward III (1334-38) Vol. 3 p. 498 online copy
  Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Richard II (1377-81) Vol. 1 p. 9, 10 online copy
Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
- Camden, Wm, 1607, Britannia hypertext critical edition by Dana F. Sutton (2004)
  Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p. 497
  Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1907, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 1 p. 267 online copy
  Celia Fiennes, 1888, Through England on a Side Saddle in the Time of William and Mary (London: Field and Tuer, The Leadenhall Press) Vision of Britain online transcription
Other sources: Theses; 'grey' literature; in-house reports; unpublished works; etc.
- Wiltshire Council, 2009, Extensive Urban Survey - Wiltshire (Wiltshire Council, English Heritage) Download copy
  Cave-Penney, Helena, 2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire's Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Salisbury (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) online copy
  Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) p. 182-87 (available via EThOS)

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