Fulham Palace
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Fulham Palace in Fulham, London (formerly in Middlesex), England, at one time the main residence of the Bishop of London, is of medieval origin.
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[edit] History
During the extensive restorations from 2001-2006, excavations on the grounds of Fulham Palace have revealed the remains of several former large scale buildings and even evidence of Neolithic and Roman settlements.
The second phase of works will be subject to the success of a future bid to the Heritage Lottery Fund.
Habitation on the land on which Fulham Palace now stands can be traced back historically as early as 700 AD, when ownership passed to Waldhere, Bishop of London. The estate was owned by the Bishops of London for over 1300 years and the Palace was their country home from at least the 11th century, and their main residence from the eighteenth century until 1975.
The Palace is now managed jointly by Hammersmith and Fulham Council and the Fulham Palace Trust, though it is still owned by the Church of England.
Part of the Palace grounds were converted in allotments during World War II and they have remained in use since then allowing local people to grow their own vegetables, fruit and flowers.
Although the Palace has its own chapel, the gardens adjoin the churchyard of the neighbouring parish church, All Saints Church, Fulham, where several former bishops are buried.
[edit] Gardens
During the 17th century, Bishop Compton imported several new plant species to the gardens at Fulham Palace and cultivated some flora and fauna found in Britain today, including the magnolia. Many of the trees in and around Fulham Palace remain from this time and visitors can still see the herb garden and wisteria which survive in the Palace's walled gardens.
The grounds originally covered more than 30 acres, though only 12 acres remain the property of the Palace. The Palace also boasts the longest moat in England.
[edit] Museum
The Museum of Fulham Palace partially occupies Bishop Howley's Dining Room and the Porteus Library (named after Bishop Beilby Porteus, 1731–1809), in the early 19th century part of the Palace. It contains some of the paintings that once hung in the building, stained glass, ornate masonry and the bishop's cope, as well as displays describing the Palace's history.
The lost manuscript of William Bradford’s Of Plymouth Plantation (1620-47), an important founding document of the United States, was discovered in the library in 1855 and first published the next year. No one knows how it made its way there from America, but in 1897, through the efforts of U.S. Senator George Frisbie Hoar, it was repatriated to New England.
[edit] Contemporary Art Gallery
The Fulham Palace also has a Contemporary Art Gallery (Fulham Palace Gallery), displaying work related to its grounds and history.
[edit] Visitor access
Admission to the Palace and its grounds is free of charge. The grounds are open daily from dawn to dusk.
A cafe has been opened in Bishop Howley's Drawing Rooms.
The Palace is accessed from Fulham Palace Road close to the northern end of Putney Bridge.
