Bishopsteignton Bishops Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Bishop's Teignton; Ash Hill Farm; Radway

In the civil parish of Bishopsteignton. In the historic county of Devon (Modern Authority of Devon, 1974 county of Devon).

Parts of curtain walls and remains of chapel. Probably early C14. Red sandstone and brecchia rubble, neatly dressed with some evidence of render on the curtain walling; chapel dressings a yellowish stone, possibly Salcombe Regis. The site is described in detail by Michael Laithwaite in a Devon County Council Archaeological Report. Plan: A stretch of tall wall to the east of the site and a second section approximately 100m to the west appear to indicate the width of the enclosing walls of the site; a recently exposed lower section of wall to the north may be the remains of the north enclosing wall. The chapel remains consist of a tall south wall and east wall with cusped lancet windows. There are several farmbuildings on the site and the west curtain wall is within a cattle shed. Although the site has been extensively robbed for building material the surviving remains above ground are of major interest and features, including a flight of stone steps, are known to survive below ground (information from Mr Dawe, the owner). The east curtain wall, about 50m long with some putlog holes, retains some coping. At the south end it returns with an external coped buttress. The west wall, about 40m long, also retains some coping and seems to have been broken through at the south end to form an entrance to the farmyard. The chapel south wall retains 5 trefoil-headed lancet windows to the nave, deeply-splayed to the interior, and the remains of buttressing, 2 adjacent openings on the south side to the west, one probably an original doorway. The south side of the chancel has an opening, set surprisingly high in the wall for a doorway, and the remains of a lancet window, only the jambs and sill surviving. The east wall has a trefoil-headed lancet to the south, similar window to the north largely obscured by ivy and a ruinous window in the centre. A cusped holy water stoup survives on the south wall inside the former chapel. Bishop John de Grandisson (1327-69) refers to the buildings in his will.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX91517436

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 447690
Further information may be available from the holder of the county Historic Environment Record. In particular 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website, or elsewhere.

• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p549-51
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p177
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p356
• Journal Articles
  • Laithwaite, M., Blaylock, S.R. and Westcott, R.A., 1989, 'The bishop's palace at Bishopsteighton' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol47 p53-69
    Tapley-Soper, H., 1942-6, Devon and Cornwall Notes and Queries Vol22 p78-80
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • 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 http://ethos.bl.uk ]
    Laithwaite, M., 1987, Devon County Council Archaeological Report