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MONUMENT NO. 31143

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Bishopscourt is the residence of the Bishop of Sodor and Man. Comprising a tower, probably built in the second half of the 14th century and a late medieval chapel and hall. Alterations and additions date from the 17th to the 19th centuries. Also visible are the remains of Civil War fieldworks, probably constructed between 1648 and 1651.

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(SC 32859327) Bishop's Court (NAT) Tower (NR) (1)

Bishopscourt is the residence of the Bishop of Sodor and Man and was possibly founded by Bishop Simon who died in 1247. The oldest portionof the present building is the Medieval tower which probably dates from the second half of the 14th century and may be ascribed to Bishop Duncan. It was built as a fortified homestead as protection against the persistent Scottish raidings of the time. By the 17th century a late Medieval chapel had been added to the east of the tower and a hall to the west. Major additions and alterations were made by Bishops Wilson (about 1700), Crigan (about 1790) Murray (1814) and Powys (about 1858) (see Plan).

During the English Civil War, the see was vacant, and the Earl of Derby occupied Bishopscourt and refortified it, probably between 1648 and 1651. This took the form of a large, rectangular, earth fort about 500 feet long and 300 feet wide, with rampart, ditch and glacis with bastions at each corner. The gate was probably in the middle of the south-west side and protected by an earth bulwark or hornwork. The fort was captured by the Parliamentarian in 1651, and reverted to the Bishop after the Restoration. About half of the earthwork survives -see plan. (2 - 4)

The tower is a concrete-faced, rectangular, castellated portion of an otherwise unfaced, stone-built, well preserved castellated dwelling which bears no external feature of dateable antiquity. The tower measures 11.0m by 9.3m.

The moat is an average of 6.3m wide and 1.2m deep and is dry. Along its inner north-west and north-east sides is a low spread bank. (5)

Bishopscourt, together with contiguous buildings. (6)

Listed by Cathcart King. (7)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1957

( 2) General reference

Anc & Hist Mons I of Man 1967 46

( 3) Manx Museum and National Trust Journal of the Manx Museum

(R A Curphey) 7 - 88 1976 Page(s)221-4

( 4) Post-medieval archaeology : the journal of the Society for Post-Medieval Archaeology

(Curphey) 8 - 1974 Page(s)104-7

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JR 03.11.55

( 6) General reference

I of Man Govt Registered Building Reg. 1982 (Updated List 10.05.85)

(7) David J Cathcart King 1983 Castellarium anglicanum : an index and bibliography of the castles in England, Wales and the Islands. Volume II : Norfolk-Yorkshire and the islands

2 - 1983 Page(s)548-9

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