St Davids Bishops Palace

In the community of St Davids and the Cathedral Close.
In the historic county of Pembrokeshire (Modern authority of Pembrokeshire, preserved county of Dyfed).

Constructed between C12 and C16, although there were two main phases of constrution, 1280-96, and 1328-47. Quadrangular plan with the main buildings located towards the S side. Entrance through late C13 gatehouse at the left of the NE wall. Bishop's Hall of the same period on E side. Mid C14 Great Hall on S side, with striking ogee headed doorway. Arcaded parapet with varicoloured voussoirs. Late C14 bishop's chapel at W end with W bellcote. W side of quadrangle probably occupied by domestic buildings.

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

This site is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SM75032547

Sources of information, references and further reading

Web site links

http://www.cadw.wales.gov.uk/default.asp?id=6&PlaceID=120

Books

Hull, Lise, 2005, Castles and Bishops Palaces of Pembrokeshire (Logaston Press) p195-203
Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p643-9
Harrison, Peter, 2004, Castles of God (Woodbridge; Boydell Press) p84-5
Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p182-3
James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p99-100
Jones, W.B.J. and Freeman, E.A., 1856, The History and Antiquities of St Davids (London)

Journal Articles

Coldstream, N., 1999, 'The Grotesque Sculptures at St Davids'' Heritage in Wales Vol13
Williams, G., 1981, 'Henry de Gower (?1278-1347), bishop and builder' Archaeologia Cambrensis Vol130 p1-18
Radford, C.A.R., 1962 'The Bishop's Palace and Ecclesiastical City of St David's' Archaeological Journal Vol119

Guidebooks

Evans, J.Wyn, 1991, St Davids Bishop's Palace (Cardiff: Cadw)
Radford, C.A.R., 1955, The Bishop's Palace, St Davids, Pembrokeshire (HMSO)

Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)

William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/glameng.html#pemb7]

Most of the sites or buildings recorded in this web site are NOT open to the public and permission to visit a site must always be sought from the landowner or tenant

The information on this web page may be derived from information compiled by and/or copyright of the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historic Monuments of Wales, the four welsh archaeological trusts and other indivduals and organisations.

It is an offence to disturb a Scheduled Ancient Monument without consent. It is a destruction of everyone's heritage to remove archaeological evidence from any site without proper recording and reporting. Don't use metal detectors on historic sites without authorisation.

Please help me to make this as useful a resource as possible by contacting me if you see errors or if you can add information.
I do acknowledge the help I get with this site.

*The listed building may no be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.

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