The Bede House

The Bede House

This is the solar wing of the former palace of the Bishops of Lincoln. It was converted into a bedehouse around 1600, though it may originate from the late 12th or 13th century. The building as it survives today is based on a structure from the early to mid 14th century, following Bishop Burghersh's licence to crenellate granted in 1336. The main upper chambers were refenestrated and probably re-roofed in the late 15th century, with further alterations occurring in the early 16th century and around 1600. The north-east end, formerly a chapel, was substantially rebuilt in 1767 (as dated on the chimney). An entrance verandah was added to the north-west side in 1745. The former hall, also to the north-west, has been completely demolished.

The building is constructed of coursed ironstone rubble with pale limestone dressings; the north-east end was rebuilt in ashlar. The roof is covered in Collyweston slate, with ashlar chimneys.

The structure comprises a 2-storey south-west bay, probably originally built as an entrance tower but much altered, and a main block of 2 storeys and an attic. The main block contains a great chamber and presence chamber positioned above individual bedehouses, with a former chapel at the north-east end and a gabled stair projection to the north-west.

On the south-east side, the left bay projects and has a monopitch roof, offset buttresses, and moulded eaves and string. A late 15th-century window of 4 cusped lights with Tudor hoodmould appears on the first floor. Blocked rectangular windows survive, one with a hoodmould, and a blocked doorway with a moulded 2-centred arch. A later entry to the through passage is at the right.

The main block of 5 bays features 2 lateral chimneys with fluted octagonal shafts, and ridge chimneys with rectangular shafts. Offset buttresses with cusped gablets are present throughout. The ground floor has 4 2-light stone mullion windows; the left one has ovolo mouldings while the remainder are chamfered with Tudor hoodmoulds. Above these are 4 late 15th-century 4-light windows with transoms, cusping, King mullions and hoodmoulds with carved head stops. The centre bay has a canted limestone projection with a matching bay window to the first floor and a blind lower storey. The bay at the right end was rebuilt in 1767 and has matching buttresses, 2-light windows and a gabled lateral stack with 4 fluted shafts on a twin base. One gabled dormer with paired leaded lights is visible.

The north-west side of the main block has a lateral chimney and 2 dormer gables with 16th-century 3-light stone mullion windows, each light with a 4-centred head. A verandah with a pent roof shelters the ground floor and has irregular single lights and a 17th-century 3-light ovolo-moulded window to the left. A central late 14th- to 15th-century moulded stone doorway with a 4-centred arch and traceried spandrels is prominent. A smaller doorway with a 4-centred chamfered arch lies to the right. To the left is the stair projection with a blind 16th-century 2-light window on the ground floor and a late 15th-century 3-light arched window above. A lean-to extends along the right side, with a passage to a door and a large semi-circular arch to the stairs.

Internally, the ground floor bedehouses contain heavy cross beams in the south-west bays. One bay has a late 14th- to 15th-century 4-centred stone fireplace. Stairs lead up to a pair of early to mid 14th-century doorways with moulded 2-centred arches and heraldic shields in the spandrels.

The great chamber and presence chamber possess splendid early 16th-century wooden ceilings with moulded ribs and richly carved coving. The coving features a series of blind tracery fans and vine-trail frieze below. Late 15th- to 16th-century stained glass survives. The great chamber contains a late 14th- to 15th-century stone fireplace with a square head, and an internal porch. The presence chamber beyond has a late 15th-century stone fireplace with a moulded 4-centred arch and blind tracery panels with shields above.

Above the ceilings is a fine 15th-century roof structure with arch-braced collar trusses, butt purlins and arched wind-braces.

The building is a Scheduled Ancient Monument (No 180) and is under the guardianship of English Heritage.