Westbury Bishops Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Westbury-sub-Mendip

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

According to documentary sources the bishops of Bath and Wells had a manor house at Westbury. The likely site is to the N of the church at Court House Farm, although it may have lain in the park.
Payne writes 'likely that the manor house at Westbury was a building of minor importance that was used for the meetings of the manorial court, rather than a residence used for accommodation purposes by the bishop.' although I feel the presence of a deer park does suggest residential use as hunting was a day-long and tiring business, even though the palace at Wookey is only a couple of miles away and Wells itself only a mile or so further away.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is ST49964877

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 County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 35970 '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=35970
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc.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) p155-6 [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]
    Payne, N., 1999, "The residences of the medieval Bishops of Bath and Wells" unpubl MA dissertation, Bristol
    Nott, A.G.W., 1996, The Park of the Bishop of Bath and Wells at Westbury (Somerset. University of Bristol MA thesis)