The beautiful formal gardens of Fulham Palace in south-west London lie secreted behind a medieval brick wall. There has been substantial refurbishment in the past few years and the gardens are now an absolute delight. The palace was once the home of the Bishops of London, but it is now a museum with excellent restaurant and cafe facilities.
Tags: England London Fulham Palace gardens Bishops of London
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The beautiful formal gardens of Fulham Palace in south-west London lie secreted behind a medieval brick wall, and this is one of the original entrances. There has been substantial refurbishment in the past few years and the gardens are now an absolute delight. The palace, which can just be seen through the gate, was once the home of the Bishops of London. It is now a museum with excellent restaurant and cafe facilities.
Tags: England London Fulham Palace gardens Bishops of London
© All Rights Reserved
From around 700AD, when the site was acquired by Bishop Waldhere, Fulham Palace, near the River Thames in south-west London, served as a Bishop’s residence for over 12 centuries. At least since Tudor times, Fulham Palace was the Bishop of London’s country home, providing the Bishop and his family with a healthy rural retreat in summer months. Now, of course, it is in one of the most stylish residential areas of London. In the 20th century the palace became the principal home of the Bishop of London and until 1939 the whole of the building (over 100 rooms) was lived in by one family. A full staff of servants kept for both the house and garden.
The palace now contains a museum with restaurant and cafe facilities, and is popular with local families and other visitors. The building is a mixture of styles and periods, and what survives is a Tudor manor house with Georgian additions and a Victorian chapel. The house was occupied by the Bishop until 1973, by which time he lived in a flat within Fulham Palace, the majority of rooms being used as offices, as they still are today.
The present buildings date from the 15th to 20th century and are Grade One listed. This reflects their national importance and secures their future. There were earlier buildings on the site, and the first mention of a bishop living at Fulham is when Bishop Robert de Sigillo was captured here in 1141 and held to ransom. By the 13th century the Palace occupied its present position centred on the now hidden East Courtyard. Evidence of medieval walls has been found by archaeologists, both in the cellars and under the lawns.
Fulham Palace still belongs to the Church and has been run by the Fulham Palace Trust since April 2011. The gardens have been substantially refurbished in the past few years and provide a delightful haven of peace and quiet.
Tags: England London Fulham Palace gardens Bishops of London
© All Rights Reserved
The beautiful formal gardens of Fulham Palace in south-west London lie secreted behind a medieval brick wall. There has been substantial refurbishment in the past few years and the gardens are now an absolute delight. The palace was once the home of the Bishops of London, but it now contains a museum as well as offices, and has excellent restaurant and cafe facilities.
Tags: England London Fulham Palace gardens Bishops of London
© All Rights Reserved