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Summary - not yet available

Monument Type(s):

• CHAPEL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• GREAT HALL (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)

Protected Status:

• Scheduled Monument 1006855: Buckden Palace

Full description

S2, The foundations of the main block of the palace adjoin the tower on the NE. They appear to have originally formed three sides, the E, N and S of a courtyard, the great hall being on the N, the chapel on the E and the great chamber on the W. After the destruction of the great hall in the C17 a range seems to have been built across its S end and the courtyard was largely, if not entirely, built over. The great hall was, according to the Parliamentary Survey, a double aisled building with stone piers and arches, no doubt of the C13, and with a vaulted porch. It was restored late in the C15 when the outer walls and porch were probably rebuilt. The foundations of the whole of the W wall with those of the porch and traces of the E wall, with a second porch, have been uncovered and indicate a building about 65ft by 37 3/4ft; they are entirely of brick and there were brick turrets at the N and S ends. The hall range extended one bay further N and here the foundations are entirely of rubble. This bay as at Lincoln may have contained the butteries, and the kitchen no doubt stood still further to the N. The chapel stood on the E of the court and was originally a rectangular building 49ft by 16 3/4ft, probably of the C13; of this structure the rubble foundations of the E wall is finished with a splayed plinth of ashlar, returned a short distance along the side walls. The chapel was rebuilt and shortened by about half its length in the first half of the C17 and the general lines of this rebuilding have been reproduced in the modern chapel, now in process of erection. The great chamber (about 49ft by 23 1/2ft), pulled down in 1871, was probably a C13 building; its foundations, now covered with concrete have been completely uncovered; there was a large fireplace projection on the S face. The courtyard was at one time surrounded by a cloister but of this there is now no trace; on its NW side there was evidently direct access between the great hall and the great tower. The foundations of other and later buildings are indicated on the plan and need not be further described. W of the chapel and in the former courtyard is a curious brick chamber or cellar sunk in the ground; it may have served either as a cistern or cesspool.
Cl1, Foundations of W wall of great hall (brick). Foundations of Great Chamber, Chapel probably of C13 stone building. These now lie under the gardens of Buckden Palace for the most part although some masonry is exposed. See also RN 00653 for rest of scheduled site.

Untitled Source (Bibliographic reference). SCB9705.

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