Cheddar Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Ceddre; Cheddar Episcopi

In the civil parish of Cheddar. In the historic county of Somerset (Modern Authority of Somerset, 1974 county of Somerset).

Royal palace at Cheddar known to have existed from the mid C10 to the early C13 when it was given to the Dean and Chapter of Wells. Ruins of a chapel dedicated to St Columbanus survive. Excavations in 1960-62 found this was the latest of three chapels, the earliest dated to C10 and was replaced in C11 and rebuilt in the late C13 or early C14. The chapel was converted into a house during C17 and remained in use until the early C20. The earliest chapel overlay a Long Hall which was associated with two buildings to the west and southwest. This hall was replaced by the West Hall during C10. It was rebuilt in C11 and C12. Another hall, East Hall was built to the east of the west hall in C12. This was rebuilt in C13 and C14. (PastScape)
The manor was transfered to the bishop of Bath and Wells in 1230 and had some residential use by the bishop until about the mid C14.

This site is a scheduled monument protected by law. This is a Grade 2 listed building protected by law*. (Images of England number 268795)

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST45745315

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 194633
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 11442 '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.

• Web site links
  • http://webapp1.somerset.gov.uk/her/details.asp?prn=11442
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p673
    Keevill, Graham D., 2000, Medieval Palaces, An Archaeology (Stroud; Tempus) p19-21, 23, 117-8 [plan]
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p170
    Rahtz, P., 1979, The Saxon and Medieval Palaces at Cheddar (Oxford; BAR British series 65)
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1975, The history of the King's Works, vol3: 1485-1660 (part 1) (London) p907-9 [plan]
• Journal Articles
  • Blair, J., 1997, 'Palaces or Minsters? Northampton and Cheddar reconsidered.' Anglo Saxon England Vol25
    Croft, R.A., 1988, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol132 p221
    Rahtz, P. and Hirst, S.M., 1987, 'The chapel of St Columbanus at Cheddar' Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol131 p157-170
    Rahtz, P., 1964, Proceedings of the Somerset Archaeological and Natural History Society Vol108 p99-112
    Rahtz, P.A., 1962-3, 'The Saxon and medieval palaces at Cheddar, Somerset; an interim report of excavations in 1960-62' Medieval Archaeology Vol6-7 p53-66 [Photographs, plans] http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-769-1/ahds/dissemination/pdf/vol06-07/6_053_066.pdf
• 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) p150-52 [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]
    Payne, N., 1999, "The residences of the medieval Bishops of Bath and Wells" unpubl MA dissertation, Bristol