Fingest Bishops Palace

In the civil parish of Lane End. In the historic county of Buckinghamshire (Modern Authority of Buckinghamshire, 1974 county of Buckinghamshire).

There was a palace in the grounds of the present Fingest Manor House. An C18 history of Fingest in the Browne-Willis manuscript, recording excavations on the site, says it was "of large extent". There was a palace in the grounds of the present Fingest Manor House. An C18 history of Fingest in the Browne-Willis manuscript, recording excavations on the site, says it was "of large extent". How large is uncertain as the term palace simply designated a dwelling for a bishop. Among the bishops who stayed at Fingest was Henry Burghersh, who came there in 1321. Some 20 years later he laid out a new park and was granted "free Warren" or hunting rights, in his Manor of Fingest. At the same time he was granted a licence to "impark 300 acres of land" enjoining the woodland which he already controlled. This was common land used by the villagers. Fuller, in his C17 church history speaks of their seeing "their own beef and mutton being turned into the bishop's venison". Enormous hardship resulted. It has been conjectured that there were around 60 families there in medieval times and the Tax Returns for 1341 state that because of the extension of the park, only 30 virgates of land (a little over 100 acres) had been left for the commoners.
Only a house platform survives.

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is SU77629125

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 245505
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 0449801000 '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://ubp.buckscc.gov.uk/ThemeDetails.aspx?UID=MBC11877
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2000, Greater Medieval Houses Vol2 (Cambridge) p270-1
    Thompson, M.W., 1998, Medieval bishops' houses in England and Wales (Aldershot: Ashgate Publishing) p179
    Page, Wm (ed), 1925, VCH Buckinghamshire Vol3 p42-3 http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.asp?compid=42526
    Langley, T., 1797, History and Antiquities of the Hundred of Desborough p223 http://books.google.com/books?id=qkUQAAAAYAAJ
• Journal Articles
  • 1979, Records of Buckinghamshire Vol21 p191
    1934-40, Records of Buckinghamshire Vol13 p301
    1938, Antiquity Vol18 p287
• 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 ]