Evercreech bishops palace and hunting lodge

Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameEvercreech bishops palace and hunting lodge
Alternative Names
Historic CountrySomerset
Modern AuthoritySomerset
1974 AuthoritySomerset
Civil ParishEvercreech

The Bishops of Bath and Wells held the manor of Evercreech from at least C11 to 1548 when it was sold. Judging by the documentary evidence there was a manor house at Evercreech from C14 and later evidence refers to several buildings with a chapel. Leland describes the site in 1545 as "demolished completely" by the previous bishop (Clerk). The location is problematic. Leland's description of the building in Evercreech and comparision with other sites would suggest a location by the church (ST650387) but Collinson states that it lay in Evercreech Park near to the later house (at given map ref). In the village is an area known as "Priors Hill" which may be the site but is associated with a hospital. (Somerset HER–ref. Payne, 1999)

Gatehouse Comments

The history given in Payne does mention several episodes of new building and it may be that during one of these the house moved from a position in the village to a position in the park. Payne suggests Evercreech Park was a hunting lodge, ancillary to the palace in the village, at least in origin, but may have been enlarged enough to become the palace in the C14. It is possible the older palace was retained, at least for a while, as ancillary accommodation. See Payne (2003) for a full discussion and possible locations of palace in village.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceST633375
Latitude51.1353302001953
Longitude-2.52739000320435
Eastings363300
Northings137500
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 673
  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 170
  • Bond, J., 1998, Somerset Parks.and Gardens, A Landscape History (Tiverton: Somerset Books) p. 30
  • Thorn, C. and Thorn, F., 1980, Domesday Book 8 Somerset (Chichester: Phillimore) p. 6
  • Hembry, P., 1967, The Bishops of Bath and Wells, 1540-1640 (London: The Athlone Press) p. 112-3
  • Collinson, J., 1791, The History and Antiquities of the County of Somerset (Bath) Vol. 3 p. 414 online copy

Antiquarian

  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 415
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1907, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 1 p. 294 online copy

Other

  • Payne, Naomi, 2003, The medieval residences of the bishops of Bath and Wells, and Salisbury (PhD Thesis University of Bristol) p. 111-125 (available via EThOS)
  • Payne, N., 1999, The residences of the medieval Bishops of Bath and Wells (unpubl MA dissertation, Bristol)