The bishops of Winchester in the middle ages enjoyed a level of wealth and political power that would have had Jesus reaching for his whip of cords. One symbol of this prestige was the magnificent palace at Bishop’s Waltham, now a ruin maintained by English Heritage.
Originally a manor granted to the bishopric of Winchester by Edward the Elder in 904, the first palace was probably built by Henry de Blois, bishop of WInchester from 1129 to 1171, some time near the beginning of his tenure. It was extensively renovated by William of Wykeham, bishop from 1367 to 1404, and again by his successors, Henry of Beaufort and Thomas Langton.
During the English civil war (1642-9), Bishop’s Waltham was a royalist stronghold. but was captured by the parliamentarians and, it would appear, burnt down. Whether this was done accidentally or deliberately is not clear.
After World War 2, the property passed to the Ministry of Works, and then to English Heritage. The ruins are free to visit, open to the public daily between the hours of 10am and 5pm. There is a small museum which opens at weekends from noon to 4pm. The postcode is SO32 1DH and the palace is served by buses 7, 8, 17 and 69. The nearest railway station is Botley, 3½ miles away.