Bishops' House
Encyclopedia
Bishops' House is a half-timbered house
in the Norton Lees
district of the City of Sheffield
, England
. It was built c. 1500 and is located at 53°21′5"N 1°28′13"W, on the southern tip of Meersbrook
Park. It is one of the three surviving timber-framed houses in the city (the others being the Old Queen's Head and Broom Hall
).
It is known as Bishops' House because it was said to have been built for two brothers. John
and Geoffrey Blythe
, both of whom became Bishops. There is, however, no evidence that they ever lived in this house—the first known resident being William Blythe, a farmer and scythe manufacturer, who was living here in 1627.
Samuel Blyth was the last of the family to live in the house, dying in 1753, after which his sons sold the house to a William Shore. The house was subsequently let to a tenant farmer and his labourer, at which point the house was sub-divided into two dwellings.
In 1886 ownership passed to the Corporation (Sheffield City Council
) and various recreation department employees lived in the house until 1974.
It is a Grade II* listed building and has been open as a museum since 1976. The Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust
, managed the building for some years until April 2011, when management was passed back to Sheffield City Council. Museums Sheffield continue to manage educational visits during term time, but management of public opening of the house was conferred to a voluntary organisation, Friends of Bishops House, in spring 2011. The house contains exhibitions on life in the 16th and 17th centuries with two rooms decorated in Jacobean
Style.
The building is featured on the cover of local band, Monkey Swallows the Universe
's second album The Casket Letters.
Timber framing
Timber framing , or half-timbering, also called in North America "post-and-beam" construction, is the method of creating structures using heavy squared off and carefully fitted and joined timbers with joints secured by large wooden pegs . It is commonplace in large barns...
in the Norton Lees
Norton Lees
Norton Lees is a residential suburb in the Graves Park ward of the City of Sheffield, England located to the east of Woodseats.-History:Origami artist, author and musician Nick Robinson is a resident....
district of the City of Sheffield
Sheffield
Sheffield is a city and metropolitan borough of South Yorkshire, England. Its name derives from the River Sheaf, which runs through the city. Historically a part of the West Riding of Yorkshire, and with some of its southern suburbs annexed from Derbyshire, the city has grown from its largely...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. It was built c. 1500 and is located at 53°21′5"N 1°28′13"W, on the southern tip of Meersbrook
Meersbrook
Meersbrook is a suburban district in the Gleadless Valley ward of Sheffield, England located to the south of Heeley. The name comes from the stream, the Meers Brook, a tributary of the River Sheaf which means 'boundary brook' and in ancient times this, along with the River Sheaf formed the...
Park. It is one of the three surviving timber-framed houses in the city (the others being the Old Queen's Head and Broom Hall
Broom Hall
Broom Hall is a historic house in the City of Sheffield, England that gives its name to the surrounding Broomhall district of the city. The earliest part of the house is timber-framed; it has been tree-ring dated to c1498, and was built by the de Wickersley family, whose ancestral home was at...
).
It is known as Bishops' House because it was said to have been built for two brothers. John
John Blyth
John Blyth was a medieval Bishop of Salisbury.Blyth was Archdeacon of Richmond from 1485 to 1493. He was nominated to Salisbury on 13 November 1493 and consecrated on 23 February 1494. He died on 23 August 1499. His brother Geoffrey was Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.-References:* Powicke, F....
and Geoffrey Blythe
Geoffrey Blythe
Geoffrey Blythe was the Bishop of Lichfield and Coventry.Blythe was born at Norton in Derbyshire to William Blythe and a sister of Thomas Rotherham, Archbishop of York. He was schooled at Eton and then entered King's College, Cambridge in 1483. He was ordained a priest on 4 April 1496...
, both of whom became Bishops. There is, however, no evidence that they ever lived in this house—the first known resident being William Blythe, a farmer and scythe manufacturer, who was living here in 1627.
Samuel Blyth was the last of the family to live in the house, dying in 1753, after which his sons sold the house to a William Shore. The house was subsequently let to a tenant farmer and his labourer, at which point the house was sub-divided into two dwellings.
In 1886 ownership passed to the Corporation (Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council
Sheffield City Council is the city council for the metropolitan borough of Sheffield in South Yorkshire, England. It consists of 84 councillors, elected to represent 28 wards, each with three councillors...
) and various recreation department employees lived in the house until 1974.
It is a Grade II* listed building and has been open as a museum since 1976. The Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust
Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust
Museums Sheffield is the new name for Sheffield Galleries and Museums Trust. It is a charity that runs council owned art galleries and museums in Sheffield, England. One of the trustees is His Grace the Duke of Devonshire. They run the following galleries and museums:* Bishops' House* Graves Art...
, managed the building for some years until April 2011, when management was passed back to Sheffield City Council. Museums Sheffield continue to manage educational visits during term time, but management of public opening of the house was conferred to a voluntary organisation, Friends of Bishops House, in spring 2011. The house contains exhibitions on life in the 16th and 17th centuries with two rooms decorated in Jacobean
Jacobean architecture
The Jacobean style is the second phase of Renaissance architecture in England, following the Elizabethan style. It is named after King James I of England, with whose reign it is associated.-Characteristics:...
Style.
The building is featured on the cover of local band, Monkey Swallows the Universe
Monkey Swallows the Universe
Monkey Swallows the Universe was an acoustic/indie band from Sheffield, England. MSTU is centred around its founders, Nat Johnson and Kevin Gori, who formed the band in 2003 after meeting at the University of Sheffield. In the band's first incarnation they both sang and played acoustic guitars...
's second album The Casket Letters.