Bishop’s Palace: Beauty in an Ecclesiastical Fortress

In this installment of ‘Larger Than Life: Architecture Through the Ages,’ we look at a 13th-century castle-like residence in England.

Medieval and Gothic architectural elements are highlighted to convey the ecclesiastical nature of Bishop’s Palace’s exterior. The main entrance is replete with quatrefoil windows (four-sided clover design) above double-arch, multi-paned windows. To the right of the entrance is the battlement-style chapel, with a focal-point, stained glass, Gothic-arch window; to the left, another battlement-style tower. JonDrew/Shutterstock

Wells, England, in the county of Somerset, is famous for its 13th-century Episcopal cathedral. Adjacent to the cathedral’s grand edifice is the Bishop’s Palace, which is renowned for its singular architecture.

The two-story structure made from locally quarried stone is touted as a “palace” because it’s the bishop’s official residence. It was built in the Gothic, medieval style—complete with a surrounding moat.