Bishops Palace Walls and Tower, Paignton, Torbay

Entry Name: Bishops Palace Walls and Tower

Listing Date: 13 January 1951

Last Amended: 25 October 1993

Grade: II*

Source: Historic England

Source ID: 1208109

English Heritage Legacy ID: 383843

Also known as: The Bishop's Palace, Tower Road

ID on this website: 101208109

Location: Paignton, Torbay, Devon, TQ3

County: Torbay

Electoral Ward/Division: Roundham-with-Hyde

Parish: Non Civil Parish

Built-Up Area: Paignton

Traditional County: Devon

Lieutenancy Area (Ceremonial County): Devon

Church of England Parish: Paignton St John the Baptist

Church of England Diocese: Exeter

Tagged with: Tower Episcopal palace

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Description

PAIGNTON

SX8860 PALACE PLACE
1947-1/5/70 (South side)
13/03/51 Bishop's Palace walls and tower
(Formerly Listed as:
PALACE PLACE
"Bible Tower" and remains of
Bishop's Palace)

GV II*

Includes: Bishop's Palace walls and tower COVERDALE ROAD.
Includes: Bishop's Palace walls and tower BISHOPS PLACE.
Walls to Bishop's Palace including corner tower. Probably C14.
MATERIALS: Local red breccia; tower roofed with lead.
PLAN: Tall walls surround the precinct which is now occupied
by the vicarage and its gardens. An internal corner tower
occupies the SE corner of the enclosure. The Tower Road
elevation of the wall has a section of rebuilding
incorporating a 2-centred arched doorway.
EXTERIOR: Walls are tall with coped merlons with embrasures,
some slits, and pudlock holes. The 4-stage tapering tower has
an embattled parapet above a moulded string. On the face
fronting Bishop's Place is a small 2-centred doorway, the
first stage has a 2-light window with ogival heads to the
lights. The 2nd-floor window has 2 trefoil-headed lights below
a blind plate. Similar windows to other elevations. West face,
inside the vicar's garden, has a 2-centred doorway.
INTERIOR: All the floors and the stair appear to be C20.
Segmental-arched joists support a lead covering to the roof.
HISTORY: The Bishop's Palace was transferred from Bishop
Veysey to Sir Thomas Speke in 1549. In the C19 it was owned by
a Colonel Ridgway, who exposed the foundations of old
buildings - "numerous coins and other interesting objects were
found during the excavation of the ground" (Couldrey). The
site inside the enclosure is obviously of considerable
archaeological interest.
(Transactions of the Devonshire Association, Vol.64: Couldrey
WG: Memories and Antiquities of Paignton: 1932-: 228;
Buildings of England: Cherry B: Devon: London: 1952-1989:
841).

Listing NGR: SX8863060750

External Links

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