Wiveliscombe Bishops Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Wyveliscombe

In the civil parish of Wiveliscombe.
In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

Bishops Palace built, or rebuilt, shortly after 1256 by John de Drokensford, adjoining the cemetery at Wiveliscombe. By the C18 it in was ruins and a workhouse erected in 1735 occupied part of the site. All that remains standing is part of the gatehouse. The N arch is intact and the S arch has been rebuilt in C14 brick. It was a favourite retreat of the bishops throughout the middle ages and was added to and developed by Bishop Ralph of Shrewsbury, Bishop Knight and Bishop Godwin. At ST083276 an 8ft deep mains service trench exposed a wall 3ft thick and 6ft high covered with 2ft of topsoil. This may be of medieval origin but whether a garden wall or part of a building could not be determined. A tithe barn at the E end of the Palace Green existed until the C19. Exact location uncertain. There was a fishpond attached to the Bishops palace. Now filled in. Workhouse erected in 1735. Exact location , but in the area of the Bishops Palace. A grant was obtained to make a park attached to the palace in 1265. Park of 271 acres, let out in 1551 with the garden of the Manor House for £10.10s.4d

This site has been described as a;
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Certain.
Masonry ruins/remnants remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST08322762

Modern Map from Good for landscape form and features	Modern Map from Good for general location
Air Photo from	1st edition OS Map from

Sources of information, references and further reading

PastScape number; 188212

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 43784

• Web site links
  • http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=43784
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p673
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p170
    Aston, M. and Leech, R., 1977, 'Historic Towns in Somerset' p160-162
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p346