Highclere Bishops Palace
Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)
There are no visible remains
| Name | Highclere Bishops Palace |
| Alternative Names | Highclere Castle; Highcleere; Clere Episcopi; Alta Clera; Hauteclere; Bisshopesclere; Hautclere |
| Historic Country | Hampshire and the Isle of Wight |
| Modern Authority | Hampshire |
| 1974 Authority | Hampshire |
| Civil Parish | Highclere |
Site of episcopal manor house/early medieval palace of the Bishops of Winchester, original owners of the Parish. Highclere Castle has been built over the site. In 749, a Saxon charter granted 'the land of 10 households which the inhabitants called Clere' to Winchester Cathedral. Much further evidence in Saxon Charters, Domesday Book and Episcopal Pipe Rolls of 'Clere' and the manor of Highclere which continued in possession of the Bishopric until 1582. The Bishops of Winchester built the first Medieval house there, on the site which was later extensively rebuilt by William of Wykeham. Several of the public Acts of William of Wykeham are dated at Highclere. (Hampshire AHBR)
HIGHCLERE CASTLE, the seat of the Earl of CARNARVON, is built on the site of the Palace of the Bishops of WINCHESTER, the original owners of the parish. Before 1208-9 the manor of HIGHCLERE was included with BURGHCLERE under the general name of CLERE. Although from that date onwards they are distinguished by name, they have always followed the same descent, the lord of the manors having his mansion at HIGHCLERE. Thus the Bishops had a place here and, in 1692, Sir ROBT. SAWYER died 'at his mansion house of HIGHCLERE' (VCH).
A Hampshire manor of the Bishops of WINCHESTER with a modern residence on site of the episcopal manor house.
While WILLIAM of WYKEHAM was at HIGHCLERE, from 1364, there are detailed records of the re-building of much of the palace. Masonry of early date can be seen at a short distance from the west side of the castle and some portions of the original buildings can still be recognized (Crawford).
The present house, known as HIGHCLERE CASTLE, was rebuilt circa 1840. I have never heard of masonry to the west of the house and do not know of any surviving part of the original Palace (F1 WW 21-NOV-55). (PastScape)
A park existed in Highclere in very early times, and complaints arose of damage from the inclosure of the park
In an account of the dilapidations in the episcopal manors after the death of John Sendale, in 1320, mention is made of damage by inclosure of the park, and in 1403 the rector of Burghclere received compensation for loss of tithe by reason of a great part of arable land having been imparked by the bishop, 'et parco nostro de Altâ Clerâ anneximus ac inclusimus in eodem que quidem inclusio in grave dampnum ecclesie predicti cederet.' Cobbett describes this park as 'the prettiest I have ever seen.' (VCH)
Not scheduled
This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law
Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
| OS Map Grid Reference | SU446588 |
| Latitude | 51.3266105651855 |
| Longitude | -1.36056005954742 |
| Eastings | 444620 |
| Northings | 158800 |
