Events
Join us for nesting dragons, children’s trails, magical lantern parades, exhibitions, dancing and feasting! All our events are included in the price of admission unless otherwise stated and children under five years old are completely FREE.
NEW FOR 2012
The Bishop’s Table - the new café serving locally sourced homemade food daily, complete with a breathtaking view of the Palace across the croquet lawn. FREE ACCESS
Shop - Time to treat yourself to a bespoke exclusive souvenir or a gift for a loved one. We even have a pocket money stand now which we always make sure is full of interesting puzzles, toys, pens and general fun stuff. Even the big kids will want to play with these things! FREE ACCESS
Toilets - We’ve got some brand new facilities for you to enjoy. Disabled toilets and baby-change facilities available. FREE ACCESS
Working water model (March) - Have fun playing with a scale model of The Bishop’s Palace site, opening and closing sluice gates - don’t flood us! FREE ACCESS
Membership scheme - with many more benefits added this year. Remember Membership allows you to come to all our events at no extra cost.
Multi media guides and interpretation (May) - Enjoy your visit even more with fascinating stories on multi media guides and improved information around the site.
Development works
Please note that there is no access to the Palace buildings until the end of April due to essential refurbishment of the Undercroft floor. This is part of our Heritage Lottery Funded Development Project which is improving the building structures, transforming facilities and enhancing the visitor experience to ensure the future of The Bishop’s Palace.
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March
Mothering Sunday Portraits
18th March 2012
11am - 4pm
Children can enjoy dressing up in medieval outfits and have their photo taken against a medieval backdrop as a souvenir for mum or gran to cherish.
Mothering Sunday Lunch
18th March 2012
The Bishop's Table
Treat Mum to a delicious two or three course Sunday lunch at The Bishop’s Table. All mums get a special gift to take home too (bonus points awarded!)
Rare Plant Fair
25th March 2012
All day.
Enjoy browsing lots of rare and unusual plants as well as spring favourites to brighten up your garden.
One of our most popular annual events.
Artist in Residence - Building a dragon's nest
31st March 2012
11am - 3pm
Also on Sunday 1 April.
Our 10 metre willow dragon is nesting! Pop along to the arboretum to see willow artist Angela Morley creating two dragon nests in time for Easter.
April
Artist in Residence - Building a dragon's nest
1st April 2012
11am - 3pm
Our 10 metre willow dragon is nesting! Pop along to the arboretum to see willow artist Angela Morley creating two dragon nests in time for Easter.
Easter Feast Trail
2nd April 2012
Until Monday 9 April
A chocolate reward awaits children who go on an Easter trail at the Palace. As an extra treat little ones can sit in the willow dragon’s nests like newly hatched Easter dragons!
Suitable for 3-8 years.
Enjoy the taste of Easter
2nd April 2012
The Bishop's Table
All through the week of 2 - 9 April
Enjoy the taste of Easter with freshly made toasted hot cross buns, Easter biscuits, Simnel cake and other springtime treats available throughout the week.
Enchanted Garden Lanterns
6th April 2012
Also on Monday 9 April
Get creative with local artist Angela Morley and make your own lantern as part of the Museums at Night evening extravaganza taking place on the 19th May.
All taking part will receive a free ticket to come back and see their lantern lit in the garden on the 19th May.
Booking essential - more details to follow nearer the event.
Enchanted Garden Lanterns
9th April 2012
11am – 4pm
Get creative with local artist Angela Morley and make your own lantern as part of the Museums at Night evening extravaganza taking place on the 19th May.
All taking part will receive a free ticket to come back and see their lantern lit in the garden on the 19th May.
Community Garden launch
21st April 2012
11am - 4pm
Enjoy tours, free activities and information stalls in our brand new Community Garden. Have a go at sowing herbs to take home, or bring along some seeds or seedlings to swap with other local gardeners on our ‘exchange table’.
Coinciding with the RHS National Garden Week it’s the perfect time to get involved in the garden.
May
Enchanted Garden Lanterns
6th May 2012
Also Monday 7 May
11am - 4pm
Get creative with local artist Angela Morley and make your own lantern as part of the Museums at Night evening extravaganza taking place on the 19th May.
All taking part will receive a free ticket to come back and see their lantern lit in the garden on the 19th May.
Enchanted Garden Lanterns
7th May 2012
11am - 4pm
Get creative with local artist Angela Morley and make your own lantern as part of the Museums at Night evening extravaganza taking place on the 19th May.
All taking part will receive a free ticket to come back and see their lantern lit in the garden on the 19th May.
Dawn Chorus
19th May 2012
5am
Join us for an exclusive early morning adventure around the gardens of The Bishop’s Palace with bird specialist, Ed Drewitt.
£13 per person and booking is essential. Information on how to book a ticket coming soon.
Light up the Palace
19th May 2012
7pm - 10pm
Discover the Palace at night!
Enjoy lantern lit gardens and a lantern procession hearing stories of Bishops and dragons along the way.
Enjoy dinner in The Bishop’s Table to warm those tummies before you head into the gardens.
This event is free, but is strictly ticketed. Detailed times tbc and tickets for this event will be bookable via the website and over the phone nearer the event.
Swans of Wells
25th May 2012
A very exciting event is coming to Wells in partnership with The Bishop’s Palace!
More information to follow.
Exhibition: Treasure
26th May 2012
Until 25 November
‘Treasure’ will showcase the extraordinary, rare and personal artefacts from across the Diocese of Bath & Wells.
Many have never been on public view nor had their stories revealed before.
Highly recommended.
June
Display: Coronation Connections
1st June 2012
June - September
Explore the Palace’s connections with the Coronation in the Jubilee celebration year.
Bishop Jocelin's Dragon Hunt Trail
2nd June 2012
Daily, until Sunday 10 June
Bishop Jocelin has lost his dragon! Can you find her? Use the children’s trail full of stickers and go on an adventure through the Palace and gardens.
Whats on Feb to June p1