Brewood Manor of Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield

Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameBrewood Manor of Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield
Alternative NamesBrewud
Historic CountryStaffordshire
Modern AuthorityStaffordshire
1974 AuthorityStaffordshire
Civil ParishBrewood

'The capital Messuage and close' which was the Episcopal residence at Brewood, is traditionally believed to have occupied the east end of the Market Place; here are some low timber- built houses, which are conjectured to be the remains of the larger building. It would adjoin the north side of the churchyard, and in digging graves beyond the line of yew trees, being the part annexed in1825, several very substantial foundations were found. The Sandy Lanewould be the boundary of the residence on the north side.... In Doomsday Book 'the Bishop of Chester holds Breude'. The temporalities were retained for some time in the hands of the Crown onthe deaths of Bishops Geoffrey de Muscuamp in 1208; of Walter de Lanton in 1322; and of Roger de Northburgh in 1360; King John occupied the Manor House on several of his progresses... Bishop Roger de Weseham died here in 1258.... There is no record of any Bishop having afterwards occupied the residence'.... In 1322 it was probably dilapidated, being rented at eighteen pence a year though estimated atforty pence. Probably ruinous by 1361, as it is not mentioned in the inquiry of that year. (PastScape ref. Hicks Smitth)

In the northern part of the graveyard, no headstones dated earlier than 1826. This would be the extension acquired in 1825 where building foundations were encountered. Area indicated in use as graveyard with standing headstones. Interments are continuing northwards. No evidence of Palace location ascertained. (PastScape)

The documented site of the Bishop's Palace at Brewood. It is traditionally believed to have occupied the east end of the Market Place, and some low timber-framed dwellings here are conjectured to be the remains of a larger building. (Staffs. HER)

Gatehouse Comments

Residential manor of the Bishop of Coventry and Lichfield, C11-C16. A licence to inclose a park was granted in 1200.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceSJ883087
Latitude52.6762390136719
Longitude-2.17279005050659
Eastings388370
Northings308700
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 173
  • Greenslade, M.W. and Midgley, L.M., 1959 in Midgley, L.M. (ed), VCH Staffordshire Vol. 5 p. 25-7 - online transcription
  • Hicks Smith, J., 1867, Brewood: A Resume Historical and Topographical p. 2-3
  • Shaw, Stebbing, 1801, The History and Antiquities of Staffordshire (J.Nichols abd Son) (Republished 1976 by EP Publishing) Vol. 2 p. 292-3

Antiquarian

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)