The Gardens
The 14 acres of gardens at the Bishop’s Palace are a haven of tranquillity and peace.
You are free to play and picnic on the lawns, enjoying a closer look at the flower beds, specimen trees and shrubs.
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History of the gardens
There is evidence that a garden existed here even before Bishop Jocelin began work on the palace c.1206. Over the years the gardens have changed as successive bishops have added their legacy.
Much of the existing landscaping on the South Lawn was carried out by Bishop George Henry Law in the mid-nineteenth century. This was an era when there was a great nostalgia for the medieval past. The Great Hall was in a state of decay by this time and Law wished to emphasise the impression of a romantic ruin by removing the south wall. The remaining wall and other masonry stand as a decorative curtain, pierced with the tracery of medieval windows and architectural fragments.