DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.32038#0075
THE BISHOP’S PALACE, WELLS.
43
dence of himself and his successors in the same place. He died suddenly
about Christmas, in the year 1122, and was buried in the abbey, or cathedral
church, at Bath. Bishop Jocelyn, who was elected in 1205, and died in 1242,
built the chapel of the palace at Wells, which still remains perfect. Robert
Burnell, who presided from the year 1275, to his death in 1292, erected the
stately hall, the subject immediately under consideration. Bishop Ralph de
Salopia, or of Shrewsbury, fortified the palace, inclosing it with an embattled
wall and a moat. He sat from 1329 to 1363. Ralph de Erghum is also said
to have fortified the episcopal palace, and probably he made some additions to (
the works of his predecessor. This bishop sat from 1388 to 1400. That
munificent prelate, Thomas Beckington, a pupil and a worthy imitator of the
illustrious William of Wykham, bishop of Winchester, greatly improved the
palace, as he also did the cathedral and city of Wells. He erected the gate-
house, at the cost of above 200 marks. He also built the cloisters, the parlour,
chambers for the lodgings of visitors, the principal kitchen, with conduits for
conveying water to it; and also the buttery, cellar, and bake-house, and made
stews for feeding fish. On these works he expended above a thousand pounds,
a considerable sum of money in those days.* Bishop Beckington was conse-
crated in 1443, and died in January, 1464-5.f Leland, who visited Wells in
1542, has given the following brief description of the palace, in his Itinerary.
“ The Area afore the Bishop’s Palace lyeth Est of the Market stede, and hath a
fair high Waul toward the Market stede, and a right goodly Gate House yn it,
made of late by Bishop Beldngtun, as it apperith by his Armes. On the South
side of this Area is the Bisshop’s Palace dichid brodely and waterid about by the
Water of S. Andres Streame let into it. This Palace ys strongely waullid and
embatelid Castelle lyke, and hath in the first Front a godly Gate House yn the
middle, and at eche ende of the Front, a round Towr, and 2 other round
Towers be lykelihood yn the Southside of the Palace, and then is ther one at
every Corner. The Haul of the Palace ys exceeding fayre. The Residew of
the House is large and fair. Many Bisshops hath bene the Makers of it, as it
is now.”J
* Itin m. Willelmi de Worcestre, Edit. Nasmith. 8vo. 1778, pp. 286, 287, &c.
-j- Memoirs of Bishop B^ckington, and the other prelates here referred to, will be found in the
“ Lives of the Bishops of Bath and Wells,” compiled by the Rev. S. T. Cassan; 8vo. London,
1829. The researches of this gentleman have elucidated many curious facts in the ecclesiastieal
history of England.
I Leland’s Itinerary, vol. ii. folio 41.
43
dence of himself and his successors in the same place. He died suddenly
about Christmas, in the year 1122, and was buried in the abbey, or cathedral
church, at Bath. Bishop Jocelyn, who was elected in 1205, and died in 1242,
built the chapel of the palace at Wells, which still remains perfect. Robert
Burnell, who presided from the year 1275, to his death in 1292, erected the
stately hall, the subject immediately under consideration. Bishop Ralph de
Salopia, or of Shrewsbury, fortified the palace, inclosing it with an embattled
wall and a moat. He sat from 1329 to 1363. Ralph de Erghum is also said
to have fortified the episcopal palace, and probably he made some additions to (
the works of his predecessor. This bishop sat from 1388 to 1400. That
munificent prelate, Thomas Beckington, a pupil and a worthy imitator of the
illustrious William of Wykham, bishop of Winchester, greatly improved the
palace, as he also did the cathedral and city of Wells. He erected the gate-
house, at the cost of above 200 marks. He also built the cloisters, the parlour,
chambers for the lodgings of visitors, the principal kitchen, with conduits for
conveying water to it; and also the buttery, cellar, and bake-house, and made
stews for feeding fish. On these works he expended above a thousand pounds,
a considerable sum of money in those days.* Bishop Beckington was conse-
crated in 1443, and died in January, 1464-5.f Leland, who visited Wells in
1542, has given the following brief description of the palace, in his Itinerary.
“ The Area afore the Bishop’s Palace lyeth Est of the Market stede, and hath a
fair high Waul toward the Market stede, and a right goodly Gate House yn it,
made of late by Bishop Beldngtun, as it apperith by his Armes. On the South
side of this Area is the Bisshop’s Palace dichid brodely and waterid about by the
Water of S. Andres Streame let into it. This Palace ys strongely waullid and
embatelid Castelle lyke, and hath in the first Front a godly Gate House yn the
middle, and at eche ende of the Front, a round Towr, and 2 other round
Towers be lykelihood yn the Southside of the Palace, and then is ther one at
every Corner. The Haul of the Palace ys exceeding fayre. The Residew of
the House is large and fair. Many Bisshops hath bene the Makers of it, as it
is now.”J
* Itin m. Willelmi de Worcestre, Edit. Nasmith. 8vo. 1778, pp. 286, 287, &c.
-j- Memoirs of Bishop B^ckington, and the other prelates here referred to, will be found in the
“ Lives of the Bishops of Bath and Wells,” compiled by the Rev. S. T. Cassan; 8vo. London,
1829. The researches of this gentleman have elucidated many curious facts in the ecclesiastieal
history of England.
I Leland’s Itinerary, vol. ii. folio 41.