| Summary : The extant and ruined remains of the Medieval Bishops' Palace in Lincoln. The palace was constructed from dressed stone and ashlar and is roofless except for the Alnwick Tower and former stables. The East Hall of the Former Bishops' Palace was built circa 1175 while the West Hall, kitchen and service buildings were built in 1186-1224. In 1329, Bishop Burghersh was granted a licence to crenellate and in that same year carried out various repairs. In 1436-1449, the gate tower, west hall bay window and chapel range were built for Bishop Alnwick. Repairs, including the building of a library, were carried out from 1625-28 and they continued throughout the 1630s. The works were never finished however, due to the onset of the Civil War. In 1643, the palace became a temporary prison while the castle was being refortified and five years later the buildings suffered some damage during a battle. In 1652, Col James Berry bought the palace and converted the surviving buildings into a house. The palace was returned to the church in 1660 however the buildings were considered beyond economic repair. The chapel was demolished in 1725 and in 1738 the surviving lodging range was converted into a Georgian residence. A century later, stables and a coach range were also built. Alnwick's Tower was restored in 1876 to provide lecture rooms for the Theological College while in 1886-88 the western lodging range was remodelled and extended. In 1945 the Victorian palace was converted to the diocesan offices and a conference and retreat centre which is now called Edward King House. The ruined parts of the palace were placed in the guardianship of the Ministry of Works in 1954 and are currently (2011) opened to the public by English Heritage. |
More information : [Centred: (SK 97797168] Old Palace [AT] (In Ruins)
[T.I.] The Old Palace. [T.I.] (1)
The first evidence of the bishops' association with the present
palace site at Lincoln appears in a charter of and building was
probably begun, 1155-8. The great hall was still building in
1223. Licence to repair and crenellate was obtained in 1329.
Bishop William Alnwick (1436-49) built a new chapel and the
entrance tower at the north-east corner of the great hall. The
outer gateway bears the arms of Bishop William Smith (1496-1514).
The palace was burnt by the Royalists in the Civil War, and fell
into ruins with the exception of the Alnwick tower. Scheduled.
The Old Palace. The present residence of the bishop dates mostly
from 1886. (2-4)
The ruined Bishop's Palace comprises: (1) the Great Hall and
Kitchen (ii) the Solar now the Bishops Chapel, connected by an
Entrance Tower to (iii) an earlier hall and parlour with chapel
oven and (iv) an entrance gateway.
Major restorations are being carried out by the Ministry of
Works.
See GP's: AO/62/47/3: Entrance tower from N:
4: Bishops Chapel from. N
5: Entrance town from S.E.bachin hall in foreground.
6: Bishops Chapel from E: (5)
See sources for details. (6-7)
The East Hall of the Former Bishops' Palace was built circa 1175 for Bishop Chesney. The West Hall, kitchen and service buildings to south were built 1186-1224, for Hugh of Avalon and Hugh of Wells. In 1329, Bishop Burghersh was granted a licence to crenellate and in that same year carried out various repairs. In 1436-1449, the gate tower, west hall bay window and chapel range were built for Bishop Alnwick. Partial demolition of the palace was carried out in 1648 and in 1725 the chapel was demolished. In 1838 the palace, including Alnwick Tower, was partially restored and in 1876, the stables, now offices, were built.
The palace is constructed from dressed stone and ashlar and is roofless except for the Alnwick Tower and former stables. The site comprises the east hall and undercroft, the west hall with service rooms and kitchen to south, gate tower, the chapel range with audience chamber and a stable range. The two halls are on opposite sides of a wedge shaped courtyard, open to the south and closed by the northern gate tower.
The east hall has to the north a four-centred arched doorway and the remains of a traceried window. There is a tunnel vaulted undercroft with a fireplace to west and the shaft of spiral stair to the south-east. The west hall, of four bays and formerly aisled, has a canted bay window to the north-west. At the south-west end is a porch with a steep arched doorway. To the south is a similar triple doorway formerly leading to the kitchen, pantry and buttery. This is said to be the earliest complete example of this arrangement. To the south, below and beyond the chapel of the adjoining Edward King House, is a rib-vaulted bay with arches to east and west.
The kitchen has to west and to south, three buttresses with three setoffs. The gatehouse tower, of three stages, has a moulded plinth, string courses and a crenellated parapet. (8)
Repairs were carried out to the palace by Bishop John Williams from 1625-28 and continued throughout the 1630s. The works, which included the building of a library, were never finished however, due to the onset of the Civil War. In 1643, the palace became a temporary prison while the castle was being refortified. Five years later the buildings suffered some damage during a battle between Parliamentarian and Royalist forces, however the extent of the damage is uncertain. In 1652, Col James Berry bought the palace and converted the surviving buildings into a house. The palace was returned to the church in 1660 however the buildings were considered beyond economic repair. The surviving lodging range was converted into a Georgian residence in 1738 and a century later, stables and a coach range were built. Alnwick's Tower was restored in 1876 to provide lecture rooms for the Theological College while in 1886-88 the western lodging range was remodelled and extended. In 1945 the Victorian palace was converted to the diocesan offices and a conference and retreat centre which is now called Edward King House. The ruined parts of the palace were placed in the guardianship of the Ministry of Works in 1954 and are on public display. (9)
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