Winchester Palace

Since English bishops are entitled to seats in the House of Lords, it was once common for them to maintain London residences for their frequent and necessary trips there. Winchester Palace was one of them, home to the powerful Bishop of Winchester, who served as royal treasurer. The bishop himself controlled much of Southwark, making it an ideal place to build a palace just across the river from the City of London.

Winchester Palace was first built in the 12th century by Bishop Henry de Blois. It was a large complex that included a tennis court, brewery, butchery, and even a prison. The palace remained in use even after the Reformation, and continued to be used for other purposes after being split up in 1700. The majority of the palace was finally lost to a fire in 1814.

What remains of the palace is the Great Hall, which was revealed again when the surrounding area was redeveloped in the 1980s. This portion is part of the original 12th-century construction, although it was later enlarged to include the characteristic rose window in the 14th century. Below this portion was once a beautiful cellar with direct access to the Thames and its docks. Today, the Great Hall serves as a garden run by English Heritage, standing in sharp contrast to the surrounding modern buildings.