Remains Of Winchester Palace

The remains of the Winchester Palace, a great hall of the Bishop of Winchester's palace, date to the early 14th century and stand within the Southwark district. The site is now incorporated into warehouses. The standing walls are primarily of original 14th-century stonework, built upon earlier foundations, and consist of a high west wall and a partial return wall to the south. Excavations reveal a rectangular plan to the east. A restored rose window, with a hexagon of 18 cusped triangles inserted during a 1972 restoration, is visible between the third and fourth floor levels of the west wall. Below this are three arched openings with traces of their original jambs, on the first floor. Stone vault springers are apparent at basement level on the east side of the west wall. A 14th-century pointed-arched doorway with a moulded arch and jambs, attached shafts and caps, is present on the south wall, between the ground and first floors, along with the remains of an arched opening below. The interior has not been inspected. The palace served as the town residence of the Bishops of Winchester from the 12th century until the Civil War, when it was used as a prison. By the 18th century, warehouses had been constructed over much of the site, establishing the area's characteristic appearance. The medieval ruin is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument.