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 Fulham
Palace was the summer home of the Bishops of London from AD
704 to 1973. The oldest parts of the Palace date from
the 15th century but the rest of the building has been embellished
in a mixture of styles by successive Bishops.
The
brick building is mostly Tudor with Georgian extensions, and
the more recent addition is the chapel built by William Butterfield
in 1866. The site was once enclosed by the largest moat
in Britain but in 1921 this was filled in.
Tours of the Palace interior
take place on Sundays, twice a month in the summer and once
a month in the winter. They last an hour and begin in
the Tudor courtyard. The rooms on show include the Great
Hall, which dates from 1480 and is the oldest room in the
palace, and the Georgian Dining Room which has a Palladian
ceiling. The Chapel, which was unfortunately modernised
in 1950, has with frescoes painted by Brian Thomas.
Fulham Palace is said to be 'London's
best-kept secret'. The museum, set two early-19th century
rooms, helps put the history of the palace, and the immensely
wealthy bishops, into perspective. A colour-coded
model of the building helps visitors to identify each architectural
era of the palace.
Fulham Palace stands in its own
beautiful grounds, Bishop's Park, with over 13 acres of gardens,
just west and north of Putney Bridge, where the annual Oxford
& Cambridge University Boat Race begins.
The gardens became famous in
the 17th century when Bishop Compton imported rare species,
including magnolia, and was the first to grew them in Europe.
Highlights include specimen trees, a giant oak from 1550,
a herb garden, and the Gothic gatehouses.
Admission charge
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Putney Bridge
Note: Restoration work in 2006 may affect opening tiimes so
please check.