Salisbury Bishops Palace and Cathedral Close

In the civil parish of Salisbury. In the historic county of Wiltshire (Modern Authority of Wiltshire, 1974 county of Wiltshire).

Bishop's palace situated to the southeast of the Cathedral in The Close. It was established during the 1220s and crenallated during C14. The palace has undergone many phases of construction, alterations and repairs. It was restored during mid C15 and extended some time after 1568. A chapel is first documented in 1588. Parts of the palace were demolished post 1648, with the surviving elements being converted into an inn and tenements. However rebuilding took place during the 1660s with further additions taking place during later C17 and early C18. The palace was refurbished during late C18 with further additions constructed though out C19. Parts were demolished in 1931. Part of the palace was used by Bishop Wordsworth School in 1890. It has been used by the Cathedral School from 1947. (PastScape)
Close licensed in 1327 and palace licensed in 1337 and 1377.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU14392940

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 217713
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) p627-9
    Cave-Penney, Helena, 2004, The Archaeology of Wiltshire’s Towns An Extensive Urban Survey Salisbury (Wiltshire County Archaeology Service) http://ads.ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/adsdata/arch-906-1/dissemination/pdf/EUS_Texts/Salisbury.pdf
    Creighton, O.H. and Higham, R.A., 2005, Medieval Town Walls (Stroud: Tempus) p18, 24, 37, 80-1, 90, 105, 129, 207, 218, 237, 256
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p167, 168, 184
    RCHME, 1993, 'Houses in the Close', in Ancient and Historical Monuments in the City of Salisbury Vol2 (HMSO)
    Bond, C.J., 1987, 'Anglo-Saxon and Medieval Defences' in Schofield, J. and Leech, R. (eds) Urban Archaeology in Britain (CBA Research Report) p92-116
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol2
    RCHME, 1980, ‘City defences’, in Ancient and Historical Monuments in the City of Salisbury Vol1 (HMSO) p50-51
    Barley, M.W., 1975, 'Town Defences in England and Wales after 1066' in Barley (ed) Medieval Towns in England and Wales (CBA research reports) pp57-71 plan p66
    Turner, H.L., 1971, Town Defences in England and Wales (London)
    Rogers, J.H., 1969, 'Salisbury' in Lobel, M.D. (ed), Historic Towns: Maps and Plans of Towns and Cities in the British Isles, with Historical Commentaries, from Earliest Times to 1800' Vol1 (London: Lovell Johns-Cook, Hammond and Kell Organization) p1-9
    Crittal, Eliz. (ed), 1962, 'Salisbury: The liberty of the close' VCH Wiltshire Vol6 p72-9 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=41783
    Morewood, Caroline C., 1910, 'Introductory Chapter' in Rait, R.S. (ed), English Episcopal Palaces (Province of Canterbury) (London; Constable & Co) p25-8 http://www.archive.org/details/engepiscopalaces00raituoft
    Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol3 pt2 p328, 408, 411
• Journal Articles
  • Richardson, Amanda, 2003, 'Corridors of power : a case study in access analysis from medieval England' Antiquity Vol77 p373-84
    1997, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol90 p156-7 [minor geophysical survey and excavation report]
    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]
    1963, Wiltshire Archaeological & Natural History Magazine Vol58 p452-3 [minor excavation report]
    1947, The Archaeological Journal Vol104 p9
• 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 (1327-30) p159
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1334-38) p498
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1377-81) p9, 10
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/wilshireeng.html#wilts14]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p497
• 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) p182-87 [available via http://ethos.bl.uk ]