England Guide
Bristol, Bath and Somerset
The Bishop's Palace
Opening time: April– Oct daily except Sat 10.30am–6pm; Aug daily 10.30am–6pm; last entry at 5pm
Price: £4
Address: Access via the cathedral shop, or from Market Place
The residence of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, the Bishop's Palace was walled and moated as a result of a rift with the borough in the fourteenth century, and the imposing gatehouse still displays the grooves of the portcullis and a chute for pouring oil and molten lead on would-be assailants. Its tranquil gardens contain the springs from which the city takes its name and the scanty but impressive remains of the Great Hall, built at the end of the thirteenth century and despoiled during the Reformation. Across the lawn stands the square Bishop's Chapel and the Undercroft, holding displays relating to the history of the site, state rooms and a café.