Colwall Bishops Palace

Has been described as a Possible Palace (Bishop)

There are no visible remains

NameColwall Bishops Palace
Alternative Names
Historic CountryHerefordshire
Modern AuthorityHerefordshire
1974 AuthorityHereford and Worcester
Civil ParishColwall

The present building dates from about 1630. It replaces an earlier one that was burnt down. The Bishops of Hereford had a palace at Bosbury. When they went hunting in Colwall Chase they stayed at the Colwall Lodge. (Herefordshire SMR)

A Bishop's Palace at Colwall (SO 7342) was used by Bishop Charlton, 1327-44, but went out of use after 1356. "Part of the present house is 16th century in date, but there do not appear to be any remains of the bishop's palace." (Tonkin). (PastScape)

The medieval Bishops of Hereford had a chase on the westerly side of the Malvern Hills for rearing and hunting deer. Despite challenges to the bishops' ownership, the chase remained in their hands until 1563, when an Act of Exchange with Queen Elizabeth led to it being added to Malvern Chase, already owned by the Crown. In 1563 the Chase was 619 acres in area, a large portion having been lost in 1460 when Richard de Beauchamp acquired it for the park he was creating around Bronsil Castle. (Anon, 2008, The Medieval Manor, Park Farm)

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 ReferenceSO739423
Latitude52.0762596130371
Longitude-2.39473009109497
Eastings373910
Northings242300
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 2 East Anglia, Central England and Wales (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 513
  • Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p. 178

Antiquarian

  • Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England  (Sutton Publishing) p. 228
  • Toulmin-Smith, Lucy (ed), 1910, The itinerary of John Leland in or about the years 1535-1543 (London: Bell and Sons) Vol. 5 p. 184 online copy

Journals

  • Tonkin, J.W., 1976, 'The palaces of the bishop of Hereford' Transactions of the Woolhope Naturalists' Field Club Vol. 42.1 p. 53-64

Guide Books

  • Anon, n.d., St James the Great, Colwall (Church Leaflet)

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)