Coventry Bishops Palace

Has been described as a Certain Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameCoventry Bishops Palace
Alternative NamesCoventrie
Historic CountryWarwickshire
Modern AuthorityCoventry
1974 AuthorityWest Midlands
Civil ParishCoventry

Bishop's palace possibly constructed during C13, demolished in 1856. (PastScape)

The Bishop's Palace, incorporated in a 'mean house' at the NE corner of St Michael's Churchyard, disappeared when Priory Street was constructed in 1856-7. The bishops do not appear to have had their own residence in Coventry before 1224-5, when the prior and convent granted Bishop de Stavensby a plot adjoining their graveyard on which a building was to be erected. In 1283, the episcopal house was delapidated, so the prior and convent granted a plot on a neighbouring site for a house to be built, with 200 marks for the existing house to be renovated and construction of additional buildings. This enlarged building may have been the 'palace' which was leased by the bishop in 1324. (PastScape–ref. VCH)

Depicted as 4 ranges around a central courtyard. (PastScape–ref Speed map)

According to Leland the bishop 'hathe an old palace in Coventrie'.

Gatehouse Comments

Thompson writes "Bishop Langton received, in 1306, a licence to crenellate Beaudesert, Staffs and Ashby, Northants and all episocopal palaces in England." This must include Lichfield and Coventry but probably not Chester, although it is doubtful any new work was done at Coventry at this time.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSP336790
Latitude52.4085311889648
Longitude-1.50671994686127
Eastings433650
Northings279050
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Soden, Iain, 2005, Coventry: The Hidden History p. 102-3
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 409-11
  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 167, 173
  • Lilley, K.D., 1994, 'Coventry's topographical development: the impact of the Priory' in Demidowicz, G. (ed), Coventry's first cathedral (Stamford) p. 72-96
  • Lancaster, J.C., 1975, 'Coventry' in Lobel, M.D. (ed) The Atlas of Historic Towns Vol. 2 (London: Scolar Press/Historic Towns Trust) online copy
  • Stephens, W.B. (ed), 1969, VCH Warwickshire Vol. 8 p. 128, 316 online transcription
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 405 online copy

Antiquarian

  • Dugdale, Wm., 1656, The Antiquities of Warwickshire (Thomas Warren) p. 101 online copy
  • Speed, J., 1610, Map of Coventry
  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 474
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1908, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 2 p. 108 online copy

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1898, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1301-1307) Vol. 4 p. 462 online copy

Other

  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) Appendix B: List of Medieval Bishop's Palaces in England and Wales (available via EThOS)