BISHOPS PALACE HATFIELD

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DESCRIPTION

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A Medieval bishop's palace rebuilt in 1480, and used by the crown from 1538-1607. The only surviving features include the gatehouse and west range. It was the originally the palace of the bishops of Ely and had been rebuilt in the newly fasionable brick in 1480 by Bishop Morton. King Henry VIII used the palace extensively before finally formally aquiring it by exhange in 1538. Some works were undertaken, but it seems likely that no major alterations were needed. In 1549 it was granted to the then princess Elizabeth (the future Queen) and it became her main reisence from 1555 until the deat hof Queen Mary in 1558. In 1607 the Hatfield was exchanged for another estate by James I and passed to the Cecils. Sir Robert Cecil had much of the old house demolished and built a new mansion, Hatfield House on a different site. Some of the older buildings were retained as stabling.

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(TL 2357 0846) Palace (NR).(1)

Originally a Bishop's residence, rebuilt by Bishop Morton in 1480. It reverted to the crown at the dissolution and in 1607 James I exchanged it for "Theobalds". Robert Cecil the new owner built a modern version of "Hatfield House" using materials from the Palace. All that remains of the Palace is the W range, retained as stables, and a gatehouse to the NW, both of c 1480. They are important examples of medieval building.(2-4)

As described, and outstanding. The gatehouse is at TL 23540848. See guide to Hatfield House (TL 20 NW 6).(5)

The Palace, Grade I.(6)

Acquired by Henry VIII from the Bishop of Ely in 1538, although Henry had made frequent use of the palace for 20 years before then. Details of royal expenditure on the palace from the 1540s to 1590s. Described as in 'great decaye' prior to further work in 1594.(7)

Additional source mentioning Hatfield as a Tudor royal residence. (8)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 6" 1960

( 2) by Nikolaus Pevsner ; revised by Bridget Cherry 1977 Hertfordshire

The buildings of England Page(s)106-7

( 3) Royal Commission on Historical Monuments (England) 1910 An inventory of the historical monuments in Hertfordshire

Page(s)58-62

( 4) edited by William Page 1912 The Victoria history of the county of Hertford, volume three

The Victoria history of the counties of England Page(s)94-95

( 5) Field Investigators Comments

F1 JRL 04-JUL-75

( 6) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

Hatfield Rural District, February 1960 Page(s)3-4

( 7) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

Page(s)149-50

( 8) English Heritage Register of parks and gardens of special historic interest in England

Hertfordshire Part 21

(9) Simon Thurley 1993 The royal palaces of Tudor England : architecture and court life

Page(s)50, 80

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