Bishops Palace (Remains)

Former Bishop's Palace, Lincoln

This is a group of medieval buildings of exceptional historical importance, located in Minster Yard, on the south side. The palace was built in stages over nearly three centuries, beginning with an east hall around 1175 for Bishop Chesney. Between 1186 and 1224, a west hall, kitchen and service buildings were added to the south for Hugh of Avalon and Hugh of Wells. Bishop Burghersh repaired and crenellated the buildings following his grant of Licentia Crenellandi in 1329. A gate tower, west hall bay window and chapel range were constructed between 1436 and 1449 for Bishop Alnwick. The complex suffered partial demolition in 1648, and the chapel range was demolished in 1725. Following restoration in 1838, the Alnwick Tower was also restored. A range of former stables, now used as offices, dates to around 1876.

The buildings are constructed of dressed stone and ashlar. Most are now roofless except for the Alnwick Tower and the former stables.

The palace is arranged around a wedge-shaped courtyard, open to the south and enclosed to the north by the gate tower. The two principal halls occupy opposite sides of this courtyard, with service rooms and the kitchen located to the south.

The east hall retains a four-centred arched doorway to the north and remains of a traceried window. Below it lies a tunnel-vaulted undercroft with a fireplace to the west and a spiral stair shaft to the south-east.

The west hall comprises four bays and was formerly aisled. It features a canted bay window of mid-15th-century date to the north-west. At the south-west end is a mid-13th-century porch with a steep arched doorway flanked by smaller blank arches, with shafts, stiff-leaf capitals and dogtooth ornament. To the south, a similar triple doorway formerly gave access to the kitchen, pantry and buttery—said to be the earliest complete example of this arrangement. Below and beyond the chapel of the adjoining Edward King House is a rib-vaulted bay with arches to east and west, featuring unusual billet moulding. A blocked doorway with shafts lies further south.

The kitchen is reinforced by three buttresses to the west and south, each with three setoffs.

The gatehouse tower rises three stages and displays a moulded plinth, string courses and crenellated parapet. To the north-west is a canted projection containing an octagonal stair turret. The north side has a moulded doorway with shafts and hoodmould flanked by traceried panelled doors, with a canted crenellated oriel window above. The south side mirrors this arrangement with a similar doorway and a two-light cross casement with four-centred arched head above. The third stage contains similar windows on each side.

The interior of the gatehouse contains a star-vaulted chamber with cove-moulded doorways to east and west. The eastern doorway leads via a star-vaulted passage to the ante-chapel, which has a tunnel-vaulted room beneath it.

The chapel range to the north-east preserves remains of the audience chamber and oratory, which retain square and rectangular aumbries. At the west end is a large cusped ogee-headed sideboard recess, flanked by segmental pointed doorways with linked hoodmoulds.

The stable range, built around 1876 in Tudor Revival style, comprises three bays with a coped parapet and gables. It features elliptical-headed carriage openings and flat-headed mullioned windows with hoodmoulds.

The palace is of exceptional importance as a medieval domestic building and as the residence of Saint Hugh (1136–1200) and Robert Grossteste (1235–1253). It is recorded as a Scheduled Ancient Monument.