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Designations

Grid Reference:	SU 575 946
Parish:	DORCHESTER, SOUTH OXFORDSHIRE, OXFORDSHIRE

Monument Type(s):

• BISHOPS PALACE (Medieval - 1066 AD to 1539 AD)
• TITHE BARN (Medieval to Post Medieval - 1501 AD to 1600 AD)
• HOUSE (Post Medieval - 1552 AD to 1900 AD)

Summary

Printed as an antiquity on OS maps. Provisionally listed tithe barn appears to have been demolished due to cost of maintenance (see DRF).

Associated Monuments

• None

Associated Finds:

• None

Description

1) Barn probably C16th, 7 bays, weather boarded on rubble stone base. Old tile roof. Roof structure of tie beams with angle strutts to lower purlins, and braced collar beams. Projecting entry of east side.
2) Dorchester was the seat of bishops for long periods from the time of Birinus about 635, till some time after 1070 when it was decided to transfer the episcopal seat from Dorchester to Lincoln.
3) Leland writes in 1542 of courts still being kept at what was said in Dorchester to be the Bishop's Palace at the north west end of the town where he saw foundations of old buildings.
4) The rectangular ancient fishpond north of the foundations of Bishop's Court was filled in about 1892.
5) The present house of Bishop's Court, which is reputed to stand on the site of the bishop's palace, is an L-shaped timber framed structure with brick filling, some of it herringbone, and there are C18th and C19th extensions. Interior beams may date from the rebuilding in 1552.
6) Not classified as palace for MPP.
7) Specific page in DRF; thesis transferred to Oxon History Centre.
8) Transferred to Oxon History Centre.




<1> Ministry of Housing Local Government Provisional List, (1949) (Index). SOX325.

<2> Victoria County History of Oxford, Vol 2 (1907) pp1-5 (Serial). SOX252.

<3> General reference, Leland: Itinerary, England and Wales, I (1964) p.118 (Bibliographic reference). SOX373.

<4> Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Archaeological Journal, Vol 4 (1898) p.81 (Serial). SOX305.

<5> Victoria County History of Oxford, Vol 7 (1962) p.41 (Serial). SOX252.

<6> MPP Documents for Oxfordshire, S Lisk, 24.3.93 (Index). SOX259.

<7> N Brady, PhD Thesis, 1996, The Sacred Barn: Barn Building in Southern England, 1100-1500, p.366 (Unpublished document). SOX337.

<8> Additional Information in Detailed Record File, P S Spokes correspondence relating to proposed demolition of barn (1960's) (Index). SOX258.

<9> NMR Monument - Long Listing Filed in Detailed Record File, SU 59 SE 5 (Index). SOX391.

Sources

<1>	Ministry of Housing Local Government Provisional List. (1949). [Index / SOX325]
<2>	Victoria County History of Oxford. Vol 2 (1907) pp1-5. [Serial / SOX252]
<3>	General reference. Leland: Itinerary, England and Wales, I (1964) p.118. [Bibliographic reference / SOX373]
<4>	Berks, Bucks, and Oxon Archaeological Journal. Vol 4 (1898) p.81. [Serial / SOX305]
<5>	Victoria County History of Oxford. Vol 7 (1962) p.41. [Serial / SOX252]
<6>	MPP Documents for Oxfordshire. S Lisk, 24.3.93. [Index / SOX259]
<7>	N Brady, PhD Thesis. 1996. The Sacred Barn: Barn Building in Southern England, 1100-1500. p.366. [Unpublished document / SOX337]
<8>	Additional Information in Detailed Record File. P S Spokes correspondence relating to proposed demolition of barn (1960's). [Index / SOX258]
<9>	NMR Monument - Long Listing Filed in Detailed Record File. SU 59 SE 5. [Index / SOX391]

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