Melbourne Bishops Palace

Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameMelbourne Bishops Palace
Alternative Names
Historic CountryDerbyshire
Modern AuthorityDerbyshire
1974 AuthorityDerbyshire
Civil ParishMelbourne

Bishops palace used by the bishops of Carlisle, constructed during C13 and demolished in 1821. The palace of the bishops of Carlisle stood within a short distance of Melbourne church on the north bank of the pool (Briggs). (PastScape)

Melbourne Hall is thought to have been the site of a bishop's palace that was possibly built in the 13th century and used by the Bishops of Carlisle as a refuge from the border troubles. It was leased out from the early 16th century, if not before. The building was in poor condition by the 1590s, at which time it is said to have been rebuilt by Sir Frances Needham. However, there is no evidence that it was entirely rebuilt, as the existence of a very irregular floorplan made in c.1710 indicates that this rebuilding was only partial. Sir Bishop of Carlisle carried out a substantial phase of rebuilding between 1629-31, as part of which he obtained permission from the Earl of Huntingdon, lord of the manor, to quarry stone from the foundations of Melbourne Castle. (Derbyshire HER ref. Stroud)

Gatehouse Comments

Suggested as a retreat for the Bishops used when the Scottish border country was particularly unsettled, but must also have been more often used as a stop over when travelling to London.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* 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 ReferenceSK388249
Latitude52.820930480957
Longitude-1.4250500202179
Eastings438850
Northings324980
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Craven, Maxwell and Stanley, Michael, 2001, The Derbyshire Country House (Landmark Publishing) Vol. 1 p. 150
  • Cooper, Nicholas, 1999, Houses of the Gentry, 1480-1680 (Yale University Press) p. 217, 254-5
  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 172
  • Niemeyer, N., 1911, 'Introductory Chapter' in Rait, R.S. (ed), English Episcopal Palaces (Province of York) (London; Constable & Co) p. 17 online copy
  • Briggs, J.J., 1852, History of Melbourne p. 59-62 online copy

Other

  • Dave Barrett, Gill Stroud, 2009, Extensive Urban Survey - Derbyshire (English Heritage) Download copy
  • 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)
  • Stroud, G., 2002, Extensive Urban Survey: Melbourne. Archaeological Assessment Report p. 17