Exeter Bishops Palace and Cathedral Close

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

Licences to crenellate granted to Bishop Peter Quinel in 1290 and Bishop Walter Stapledon in 1322. Some slight remains of the cathedral close and palace buildings survive in later buildings.
The Bishop's Palace at Exeter (while originating presumably with the Norman cathedral in C12) is mostly of 1848, by E Christian. The only medieval parts showing are the masonry of the hall, north and east walls and screen, the Chapel of St. Faith (in the north east side of the part of the palace nearer to the cathedral; alternatively and less accurately given as dedicated to St. Mary (Rose-Troup)) which was dedicated between 1224 and 1244, the early C13 entrance arch in the south east tower, the C15 Tower porch and the tower itself, and a re-used oriel window of 1500. The unique entry passage directly into the cathedral was originally early C16. (PastScape)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SX92159250

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 448305; 448313; 621909
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.

• Web site links
  • http://www.britannia.com/history/devon/exeterbppal.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p549-51
    Higham, Robert A., 1999, 'Castles, Fortified Houses and Fortified Towns in the Middle Ages' in Kain, R. and Ravenhill, W., Historical Atlas of South-West England (University of Exeter Press) p136-43
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p35, 47, 108-9, 167, 176
    Blaycock, S.R., 1987, Observations in the Bishop's Palace, Exeter, 1985 (Exeter)
    Pevsner N., 1952, The Buildings of England: South Devon p162-3
    Morewood, Caroline C., 1910, 'Introductory Chapter' in Rait, R.S. (ed), English Episcopal Palaces (Province of Canterbury) (London; Constable & Co) p28-34 http://www.archive.org/details/engepiscopalaces00raituoft
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p167, 403, 408
    Lysons, D. and S., 1822, Magna Britannia Vol6 Devon p. cccxlv-cccxlviii [http://www.british-history.ac.uk/source.asp?pubid=406]
• Journal Articles
  • Allan, John and Dyer, Martin J., 2005, 'The Medieval Gatehouse of the Chancellor's House, Cathedral Close, Exeter' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol63 p93-102
    Musson, J., 1998 March, Country Life
    Blaylock, S., 1990. The Archaeological Journal Vol147 Supp. p41-5
    Higham, R.A., 1988, 'Devon Castles: an annotated list' Proceedings of the Devon Archaeological Society Vol46 p142-9
    Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: An Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol26 p69-100 [downloadable via http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/resources.html?medarch]
    Rose-Troup, F., 1932, Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol64 p415-20
    Chanter, J.F., 1931, 'The Bishop's Palace at Exeter' Transactions of the Devonshire Association Vol63 p381
    1913, The Archaeological Journal Vol70 p517-8
• Guidebooks
  • Chanter, J.K., 1932, The Bishop's Palace at Exeter (Exeter)
    Addleshaw, P., 1898, Exeter Cathedral
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1281-92) p393
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1321-24) p140
• 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 ]