Highclere Bishops Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Highclere Castle; Highcleere

In the civil parish of Highclere.
In the historic county of Hampshire (Modern Authority of Hampshire, 1974 county of Hampshire).

Site of episcopal manor house/early medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, original owners of the Parish. Highclere Castle has been built over the site. In 749, a Saxon charter granted 'the land of 10 households which the inhabitants called Clere' to Winchester Cathedral. Much further evidence in Saxon Charters, Domesday Book and Episcopal Pipe Rolls of 'Clere' and the manor of Highclere which continued in possession of the Bishopric until 1582. The Bishops of Winchester built the first Medieval house there, on the site which was later extensively rebuilt by William of Wykeham. Several of the public Acts of William of Wykeham are dated at Highclere. No evidence was seen to support the suggestion that the present house is on the site of the former Bishop's Palace but it is by the remains of the DMV and in the medieval park so entirely likely site.

This site has been described as a;
Palace.
The confidence that this site is a medieval fortification or palace is Possible.
Nothing visible remains.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU44625880

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; 232587

County Sites and Monuments Record number; 21191

• Web site links
  • http://www.highclerecastle.co.uk/frame_website.htm
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p430-34
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p186
    James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p88, 130, 136
    Page, Wm (ed), 1911, VCH, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight Vol4 p285-6