Bishop's Palace Bishop's Palace (The Palace School)

BISHOP'S PALACE (THE PALACE SCHOOL), THE COLLEGE

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Overview

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1296856
Date first listed:
23-Sept-1950
List Entry Name:
Bishop's Palace Bishop's Palace (The Palace School)
Statutory Address:
BISHOP'S PALACE (THE PALACE SCHOOL), THE COLLEGE
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Date:
2006-05-12
Reference:
IOE01/15157/24
Rights:
© Helmut Schulenburg. Source: Historic England Archive

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Official list entry

Heritage Category:
Listed Building
Grade:
I
List Entry Number:
1296856
Date first listed:
23-Sept-1950
Date of most recent amendment:
19-Jun-1972
List Entry Name:
Bishop's Palace Bishop's Palace (The Palace School)
Statutory Address 1:
BISHOP'S PALACE (THE PALACE SCHOOL), THE COLLEGE
Statutory Address 2:
BISHOP'S PALACE, PALACE GREEN

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

The scope of legal protection for listed buildings

This List entry helps identify the building designated at this address for its special architectural or historic interest.

Unless the List entry states otherwise, it includes both the structure itself and any object or structure fixed to it (whether inside or outside) as well as any object or structure within the curtilage of the building.

For these purposes, to be included within the curtilage of the building, the object or structure must have formed part of the land since before 1st July 1948.

Understanding list entries

Corrections and minor amendments

Location

Statutory Address:
BISHOP'S PALACE (THE PALACE SCHOOL), THE COLLEGE
Statutory Address:
BISHOP'S PALACE, PALACE GREEN

The building or site itself may lie within the boundary of more than one authority.

County:
Cambridgeshire
District:
East Cambridgeshire (District Authority)
Parish:
Ely
National Grid Reference:
TL 53955 80248

Details

THE COLLEGE 1. 1082 Bishop's Palace TL 5379 2/12 (The Palace School) TL 5479 2/12 23.9.50. GV 2, Bishop's Palace, which stands on the south side of Palace Green to the west of the Cathedral, was originally built in the C15 by Bishop Alcock (1486-1501). The only surviving part of Alcock's palace is the east tower and the lower part of the west tower. The upper part of the west tower and the west wing, facing Palace Green was built by Bishop Goodrich in 1550 and the recessed centre part and the block facing south to the garden was built by Bishop Laney (1667-75) who demolished the major part of Bishop Goodrich's palace. The east tower is a large, square, brick building with blue brick diapering and stone dressings. It has a parapet with a moulded stone string course, a plinth with moulded stone capping and corner buttresses with 3 offsets. On the west side there is an octagonal staircase turret with a stone spiral staircase. 4 storeys. 2 window range on the north front and 1 window range on the east and west fronts, 2-light stone dressed mullioned windows with arched lights and rectangular hood moulds. Moulded stone string courses run between the storeys. Between the windows on the lst storey there is a tripartite niche with carved stone hoods and sills and on the 2nd and 3rd storeys there are square stone panels carved with angel figures. The ground storey originally had a central gateway passage with elaborate lierne vaulting with richly carved bosses, the central boss bearing the arms of Bishop Alcock. Bishop Goodrich built the west tower to balance the earlier east tower and of similar design but without blue brick diapering and carved stonework. The octagonal staircase tower has a wood staircase. The west wing (Alcock's Gallery) is 2 storey with a parapet and a moulded stone string course. The 1st storey has 6 window range, stone mullioned and transomed windows with arched upper lights and rectangular hood moulds. The central window is an oriel bay bearing the arms of Edward VI. The south block of Bishop Laney is 2 storeys and attics, with short wings joining the main block with the towers and forming a forecourt The north front has a parapet and cornice and the ground storey has Ionic pilasters and a cornice. The centre part, of 1 window range, breaks forward slightly and has open scrolls above the doorway. 5 window range overall and 1 window rouge on the return wings. The 1st storey windows are wood mullioned and transomed easements, in stone architraves and the ground storey windows are stone dressed with stone mullions, arched lights and rectangular hood moulds. The doorway has Ionic columns, and a semi-circular arched hood, In 1771 Bishop Keen remodelled the interior of the palace and added a central staircase wing on thes south front. The east wing, facing the Gallery, has 4 window range and the south front has 4:1:4 window range, double-hung sashes with glazing bars, in cased frames and with stone architraves. A raised stone band runs between the storeys. The centre part breaks forward, with stone quoins and a Venetian window on the 1st storey. Roofs tiled, hipped, with gabled dormers.

Bishop's Palace and Walls to Bishop's Palace form a group with The Chantry, Walls & gate to the Chantry, No 3, wall and railings to No3 Palace Green. Also Bishop's Palace & Walls to Bishop's Palace form a group with The Great Hall (Bishop's residence), the Queen's Hall (Headmaster's House), Wall to the Garden of the Bishop's residence, Guest Quarters of the Monastery, Walls to Guest quarters of the Monastery and Ely Porta, Prior's House (Boarding House of the king's School) Prior Crauden's Chapel, Walls to the garden of the prior's House, Ely Porta, Barn and Storehouse of the monastery & Wall to the Barn & Storehouse, and Nos 2 to 8 (consec) & No 9 (stables to Bishop's palace), The gallery. See also general group description under the Cathedral of The Holy Trinity.

Listing NGR: TL5389680307

Legacy

The contents of this record have been generated from a legacy data system.

Legacy System number:
48713
Legacy System:
LBS

Legal

This building is listed under the Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990 as amended for its special architectural or historic interest.

Ordnance survey map of Bishop's Palace Bishop's Palace (The Palace School)

Map

This map is for quick reference purposes only and may not be to scale. This copy shows the entry on 08-Jun-2026 at 04:07:20.

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© Crown copyright [and database rights] 2026. OS AC0000815036. Use of this mapping is subject to Terms and Conditions.

End of official list entry

All text content is available under the Open Government Licence v3.0 , except where otherwise stated. Any supplied maps are © Crown Copyright [and database rights] 2026 OS AC0000815036 and may not be reproduced without permission.

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