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Summary

The current building dates from the late medieval period. The footings of a building thought to date to the C13th-C14th was excavated in this area. It may be the remains of an "Abbot's House" predating the Bishop's Palace.

Monument Type(s):

• BUILDING (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• BISHOPS PALACE (15th century to 19th century - 1401 AD to 1900 AD)

Associated Events:

• Watching brief at the Old Bishop's Palace, Ely, 1997

Protected Status:

• Listed Building (I) 1296856: Bishop's Palace and Bishop's Palace (The Palace School)

Full description

1. The original palace lay inside the precinct, but this Bishops Palace was begun by Bishop Alcock (1486-1500) and continued by Bishop Goodrich (1534-54). Most of this work was taken down and rebuilt by Bishop Laney (1667-75). There was a gateway through to the precinct. The building is now a care home.

2. An archaeological watching brief was carried out as trenches were excavated prior to construction work in this area. The excavation of five trenches revealed the footings of a substantial building, probably unrelated to the upstanding palace. It is more likely to have been part of an earlier building, preceding the C14th. The presence of a stone and mortar feature suggests an even earlier phase of activity.

3. The placing of the Bishop's Palace is still uncertain, and it may be that the large two-storyed northern hall represents a 13th century rebuilding of part of this establishment

<1> Pugh, R.B. (ed), 1953, The Victoria County History of Cambridgeshire and the Isle of Ely. Volume 4, p.82 (Bibliographic reference). SCB14655.

<2> Alexander, M., 1997, Excavations at the Old Bishops Palace, Ely (Unpublished report). SCB578.

<3> Meadows, P. and Ramsay, N. (eds.), 2003, A History of Ely Cathedral, p. 147-148 (Bibliographic reference). SCB19551.

Sources and further reading

Documents

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