Take a peek through the keyhole of handsome Fulham palace on one of the venue’s fascinating history tours. Visitors will learn about the building’s rich and varied history as they tour the palace’s public rooms.
Your tour will begin outside with a walk through the estate’s lovely gardens before moving indoors to take in the Victorian Chapel, Great Hall, Bishop Sherlock’s Room and the impressive Drawing and Dining Rooms. The visit will finish in the palace museum where visitor’s will be free to explore the palace’s impressive collections.
Fulham Palace has served as a residence for the Bishop of London since the 8th century when the ancient Manor of Fulham came into the possession of Bishop Waldhere. The bishop had purchased the estate from the Bishop of Hereford.
The medieval Manor of Fulham was vast and covered most of what we today know as Ealing, Finchley, Acton and Hammersmith.
As the Lord of the Manor, the bishop was entitled to charge his tenants rent and to ask for livestock and farm produce as part of this payment. In return, the Lord was tasked with maintaining the estate and ensuring that it’s infrastructure was in a fit and proper state.
In the Tudor period the Palace took on a more official role as it was designated the Bishop of London’s official summer residence.
The palace and gardens offered the Bishop and his family a welcome respite from the hustle and bustle of the City of London.
The palace remained a summer home for the bishop until the early twentieth century when it became the official residence of the bishop. It continued in this capacity until 1973 at which point the church authorities decided to move out.
Today the buildings are overseen by the Fulham Palace Trust which has been set up to take care of the estate.
More information about the Fulham Palace History Tours can be found here.
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