A fundamentally domestic building of a high status person usual a member of the royal family or a bishop (This listing does not usually include palaces of non-royal nobles or of Abbots). Usually more elaborate that a fortified manor but a small bishops palace, such as the one at Lyddington might be quite modest compared to a large fortified manor. All these high status building had some defences, if only to keep out thieves, but were probably not seen, even by the contemporary people, as being military buildings. Included in this listing, are royal hunting lodges. These could vary from sizable buildings, even castles, with courts and gaols to simple timber building providing short term accommodation.

See also the list of bishops palaces by episcopal see.