Thanks to landmarks such as Buckingham Palace, London is a city teeming with tourists most of the time. But what many of those tourists may not realise is that a dazzling medieval palace once stood in the shadow of present-day London Bridge, and it was one of the most important buildings of the period.
Take a leisurely stroll through the labyrinthine streets of Southwark, and you'll stumble upon the surviving fragments of what was once the Great Hall and the striking rose window of Winchester Palace. Constructed in the early 13th century, Winchester Palace served as the official abode for the Bishops of Winchester.
Henry of Blois, Bishop of Winchester and brother to King Stephen, commissioned the palace as a luxurious, high-status London residence for himself and fellow bishops during their city visits. Before Bishop Henry began this grand transformation, archaeologists speculate that the site was originally a public bathhouse.
While it may be challenging to envision the palace's former splendour given its current dilapidated state, it was undoubtedly a marvel of its era, hosting some of the Middle Ages' most extravagant banquets. Winchester Palace was even selected as the venue for the wedding reception of James I of Scotland and Joan Beaufort in 1424.
The Great Hall is believed to have been designed by renowned craftsman Henry Yevele, with a vaulted cellar beneath it used for storing commodities like wine. The Palace witnessed the tenure of numerous bishops until 1626, when Lancelot Andrewes became the final bishop to pass away there.
Designed around two courtyards, it housed a variety of facilities including a prison, brew-house, and butchery, alongside leisure amenities such as a tennis court, bowling alley, and pleasure gardens for the bishops to unwind from their medieval administrative duties.
Winchester Palace's prison gained notoriety as The Clink Prison, infamous for its harsh treatment of prisoners. The palace continued to serve its purpose until the 17th century, after which it was partitioned into tenements and warehouses.
However, as London expanded, the Palace faded into obscurity, becoming a mere echo of its former grandeur and was forgotten for centuries. A fire in August 1814 razed many of the area's tenements and workhouses, unveiling the remnants of Winchester Palace's Great Hall.
It wasn't until the 1980s, during a redevelopment phase, that the full scale of the Bishop's Palace was unearthed. London is peppered with living echoes of its past, but for an authentic glimpse into the city's history, be sure to explore the backstreets of Southwark.
Visiting Winchester Palace is free of charge, and you can wander among the ruins on Clink Street, adjacent to the Clink Prison Museum. For an even more impressive view, locate the railing overlooking the Great Hall.
The Bankside Open Spaces Trust has transformed the remnants of the Great Hall into a stunning garden, reminiscent of medieval times. The nearest Underground station is London Bridge, served by both the Jubilee and Northern lines.
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