Bath Bishops Palace

Description

Bishop's Palace: in 1542 Leland noted its ruins 'at the SW side of the monastery'. The Bishop's Palace clearly lay in the W part of the priory close.(See Illustration Card for the suggested site of Bishop's Palace - based on documentary evidence and excavations 1984-5) (Davenport, 1985) ST 75096464: Part of the supposed site of the late C13/C14 palace of the Bishops of Bath was excavated by the Bath Archaeological Trust in advance of development in Swallow Street. The area was only partly cellared and substantial remains of an early C12/late C11 rectangular building were recovered. The area immediately to the E was excavated in 1964 and 1971, and combining the results of those excavations with the 1985 ones it was possible to restore the building as a rectangular, shallow-buttressed hall 9 by 15m externally with a flag- stone floor. The building, and its later C12 extension to the W at least doubling it in size were associated with a series of culverts and drains. Extensive re-modelling in the C13 led to the destruction of the original hall and the creation of a suite of small rooms around the later C12 extension. later work on the site was represented by early perpendicular window tracery fragments. No conclusive evidence of light fortification was found. Documentary and topographic evidence suggests that this is the site of part of the Bishop's Palace, prior to the transfer to Wells by the early C14; these buildings are believed to be the Norman bishop's hall and later additions.(Med. Arch, 1986). The Swallow Street dig was evidently on ecclesiastical premises and the site may well at one time have been part of the Bishop's close. We do not know of any evidence that the bishop ever resided at that exact spot. An alternative suggestion for the buildings' function will be put in a forthcoming paper (Davenport, 1988). (PastScape)

In Swallow Street (ST 7509 6464) part of the supposed site of the late 13th-/14th-century palace of the Bishops of Bath was excavated by Bath Archaeological Trust in advance of development. Financial support was provided by a grant from the contingency fund of H.B.M.G. and the workforce was provided by an M.S.C. Community Programme Scheme. Atypically for Bath the area was only partly cellared, and substantial remains of an early 12th- or possibly late 11th-century rectangular building were recovered. The area immediately E. was excavated in 1964 and 1971, and combining the results of those excavations with the 1985 ones it was possible to restore the building as a rectangular, shallow-buttressed hall c. 9 X 15 m externally, with a flagged stone floor. The building, and its later 12th-century extension to the W. at least doubling it in size, were associated with a series of high quality stone-built culverts and drains. Extensive remodelling in the 13th century led to the destruction of the original hall and the creation of a suite of small rooms around the later 12th-century extension. Later work on the site was represented by early perpendicular window tracery fragments, unfinished and probably apprentice pieces, incorporated in 14th-century floors.
Inconclusive hints were found that the 12th-century enclosure may have been lightly fortified. Documentary and topographic evidence suggests that this is the site of part of the Bishop's Palace, prior to the transfer to Wells (substantially completed by the early 14th century); these buildings are believed to be the Norman bishop's hall and later alterations. (Med. Arch. 1986)