Bishop's Palace

Detached five-bay three-storey bishop's palace, built 1735-6, on a T-shaped plan; three-bay two-storey (north-west) or two-bay three-storey (north-east) blocks centred on single-bay (single-bay deep) three-storey return (north) on a square plan. Occupied, 1901; 1911. Restored, 1962-3. Now disused. Hipped slate roof behind parapet with clay ridge tiles, tuck pointed limestone ashlar chimney stacks on axis with ridge having cut-limestone chamfered capping supporting terracotta or yellow terracotta tapered pots, and concealed rainwater goods retaining cast-iron hoppers and downpipes; hipped slate roofs (north) with terracotta ridge tiles, and cast-iron rainwater goods retaining cast-iron downpipes. Part creeper- or ivy-covered rendered, ruled and lined walls with "Cavetto"-detailed cut-limestone cornice below copper-covered blocking course; rendered, ruled and lined surface finish (remainder). Square-headed off-central door opening with cut-limestone step threshold, and drag edged cut-limestone block-and-start surround centred on keystone framing timber panelled door. Square-headed window openings (ground floor) with dragged cut-limestone rounded sills, and concealed dressings framing six-over-six timber sash windows without horns. Square-headed window openings (first floor) with cut-limestone sills, and concealed dressings framing six-over-six timber sash windows without horns. Square-headed window openings (top floor) with cut-limestone sill course, and concealed dressings framing three-over-six timber sash windows. "Venetian Windows" (north) with cut-limestone sills, and concealed dressings including rendered lintels framing twelve-over-eight (first floor) or eight-over-eight (top floor) timber sash windows without horns having four-over-four (first floor) or four-over-two (top floor) sidelights without horns. Square-headed window openings (north-west) with concrete sills, and concealed dressings framing six-over-six timber sash windows having exposed sash boxes. Square-headed window openings (north-east) with cut-limestone sills, and concealed dressings framing nine-over-nine (first floor) or six-over-six (top floor) timber sash windows having exposed sash boxes. Interior including (ground floor): hall; panelled staircase hall (north) retaining carved timber lugged surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors, dentilated cornice to ceiling, staircase on a dog leg plan with fluted balusters supporting carved timber banister terminating in fluted Corinthian colonette newels, Classical-style surrounds to window openings to half-landings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, carved timber lugged surrounds to door openings to landings framing timber panelled doors, and egg-and-dart-detailed cornice to compartmentalised ceiling on triglyph frieze on entablature centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose; bow-ended dining parlour (north-west) retaining carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, columnar screen with egg-and-dart-detailed pillars between egg-and-dart-detailed pilasters, and decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling; (first floor): bow-ended withdrawing room (north-west) retaining carved timber surrounds to door openings framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers, and decorative plasterwork cornice to ceiling centred on decorative plasterwork ceiling rose; and carved timber surrounds to door openings to remainder framing timber panelled doors with carved timber surrounds to window openings framing timber panelled shutters on panelled risers. Set in landscaped grounds.