Bromley Palace
Encyclopedia
Bromley Palace is a manor house
in Bromley
, London Borough of Bromley
; and was the residence of the Bishops of Rochester
from the 12th century to 1845. It is now part of Bromley Civic centre.
of Kent granted 6 "sulings" of land, which came to be known as the Manor
of Bromley, to Eardwulf
, Bishop of Rochester. In 862 Æthelberht III, king of Wessex and Kent, granted 10 sulings in Bromley to his minister Dryhtwald. In 967, King Edgar I of England again granted 10 sulings of land to Bishop Ælfstan
in return for a large sum in gold and silver.
In the year 987, a dispute between King Ethelred II and the Bishop of Rochester led to the land being seized and given to one of the king's ministers (Æthelsine) though a royal act of contrition led to its return in 998. After the conquest, another expropriation was attempted by Bishop Odo of Bayeux (half-brother of William the Conqueror
himself) and Archbishop Lanfranc
(of Canterbury) had to intervene to restore the land to the diocese.
The Manor
of Bromley was described as "poor....neither pasture nor arable land being worth much". It is thought that a manor house was first built here around the year 1100. One source claims that the architect was Bishop Gundulph
but this seems unlikely because he had a reputation for commissioning buildings of "massive and enduring character" and records show that Bromley Palace had fallen into dilapidation by the time of Bishop Waleran, who died in 1184. As a result, Waleran's successor, Gilbert de Glanville
, ordered the manor house to be rebuilt - "in a more commodious manner". A historian had this to say about the original manor house:
The grounds of the palace contained a Holy Well
and Oratory
dedicated to Saint Blaise
and the site became a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
In 1648, during the English civil war - and due to an act of parliament which ordered the disposal of certain church property - the manor of Bromley was sold to Augustine Skinner. The manor house was again returned to the Dicocese of Rochester (and its rightful incumbent, Bishop John Warner
) in 1660, on the restoration of Charles II
.
In 1669, Bishop Sprat had the existing chapel (which was "wainscotted eight foote high with oake") pulled down and rebuilt (the new chapel was consecrated in 1701), and improvements were made to the grounds of the palace . Further additions and improvements were made to the manor by Bishops Francis Atterbury
(served 1713–1723) and Joseph Wilcocks (served 1731-1756)). But by 1774 the palace had fallen into disrepair and Bishop John Thomas ordered it to be pulled down and rebuilt - see illustration.
In 1845 the Palace passed out of the hands of the Bishops of Rochester when it was sold to Coles Child
, a wealthy local businessman. He had the house remodelled in 1863 (reputedly by Richard Norman Shaw
) and 1903/1920s (reputedly by Ernest Newton
). In the 1920s it became a girls' finishing school and in 1933 Stockwell teacher training college. Extensions were added for this and again in 1960 when Kent County Council
took control - then the county authority. It became a grade II listed building in 1973. The college closed in 1980 and the complex became part of Bromley Civic Centre in 1982.
A small area of the original parkland survives immediately around the palace. It comprises lawns, a lake, belts of mature trees, a boat house, pulhamite
rockeries, an ice house (building) and a folly
.
Manor house
A manor house is a country house that historically formed the administrative centre of a manor, the lowest unit of territorial organisation in the feudal system in Europe. The term is applied to country houses that belonged to the gentry and other grand stately homes...
in Bromley
Bromley
Bromley is a large suburban town in south east London, England and the administrative headquarters of the London Borough of Bromley. It was historically a market town, and prior to 1963 was in the county of Kent and formed the administrative centre of the Municipal Borough of Bromley...
, London Borough of Bromley
London Borough of Bromley
The London Borough of Bromley is a London borough of south east London, England and forms part of Outer London. The principal town in the borough is Bromley.-Geography:...
; and was the residence of the Bishops of Rochester
Diocese of Rochester
The Diocese of Rochester is a Church of England diocese in South-East England and forms part of the Province of Canterbury. It is an ancient diocese, having been established in 604; only the neighbouring Diocese of Canterbury is older in the Church of England....
from the 12th century to 1845. It is now part of Bromley Civic centre.
History of the site
In the 8th century, King Æthelbert IIÆthelbert II of Kent
Æthelbert II was king of Kent. Upon the death of his father Wihtred s:Ecclesiastical History of the English People/Book 5#23, the kingdom was ruled by his three sons, Æthelbert II, Eadberht I and Ælfric. Æthelbert seems to have outlived both of his brothers and later reigned jointly with his...
of Kent granted 6 "sulings" of land, which came to be known as the Manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Bromley, to Eardwulf
Eardwulf of Rochester
Eardwulf was a medieval Bishop of Rochester.Eardwulf was consecrated in 747. He died between 765 and 772. Between 759 and 765, King Sigeread of Kent granted land to Eardwulf and his clergy.-External links:*...
, Bishop of Rochester. In 862 Æthelberht III, king of Wessex and Kent, granted 10 sulings in Bromley to his minister Dryhtwald. In 967, King Edgar I of England again granted 10 sulings of land to Bishop Ælfstan
Ælfstan of Rochester
Ælfstan was a medieval Bishop of Rochester. He was consecrated sometime before 964. He died between 994 and 995.-External links:*...
in return for a large sum in gold and silver.
In the year 987, a dispute between King Ethelred II and the Bishop of Rochester led to the land being seized and given to one of the king's ministers (Æthelsine) though a royal act of contrition led to its return in 998. After the conquest, another expropriation was attempted by Bishop Odo of Bayeux (half-brother of William the Conqueror
William I of England
William I , also known as William the Conqueror , was the first Norman King of England from Christmas 1066 until his death. He was also Duke of Normandy from 3 July 1035 until his death, under the name William II...
himself) and Archbishop Lanfranc
Lanfranc
Lanfranc was Archbishop of Canterbury, and a Lombard by birth.-Early life:Lanfranc was born in the early years of the 11th century at Pavia, where later tradition held that his father, Hanbald, held a rank broadly equivalent to magistrate...
(of Canterbury) had to intervene to restore the land to the diocese.
The Manor
Manorialism
Manorialism, an essential element of feudal society, was the organizing principle of rural economy that originated in the villa system of the Late Roman Empire, was widely practiced in medieval western and parts of central Europe, and was slowly replaced by the advent of a money-based market...
of Bromley was described as "poor....neither pasture nor arable land being worth much". It is thought that a manor house was first built here around the year 1100. One source claims that the architect was Bishop Gundulph
Gundulf of Rochester
Gundulf was a Norman monk who came to England following the Conquest. He was appointed Bishop of Rochester and Prior of the Cathedral Priory there; built castles including Rochester, Colchester and the White Tower of the Tower of London and the Priory and Cathedral Church of...
but this seems unlikely because he had a reputation for commissioning buildings of "massive and enduring character" and records show that Bromley Palace had fallen into dilapidation by the time of Bishop Waleran, who died in 1184. As a result, Waleran's successor, Gilbert de Glanville
Gilbert Glanvill
-Life:Glanvill was a clerk of Baldwin of Forde, the Archbishop of Canterbury and also archdeacon of the diocese of Lisieux.Glanvill was elected to the see of Rochester on 16 July 1185 and ordained a priest on 21 September 1185. He was consecrated on 29 September 1185. He died on 24 June...
, ordered the manor house to be rebuilt - "in a more commodious manner". A historian had this to say about the original manor house:
- The first house and gardens probably did not cover a larger space than two acres, and were surrounded by a moat. The masonry supporting the ancient drawbridge, the remains of which consisted of a rude mass of flint and chalk, cemented together by mortar which had become as hard as stone, was discovered....about forty-five yards north of the present house; and....to the south....foundation walls, the lower portions of which were constructed of blocks of chalk
The grounds of the palace contained a Holy Well
St. Blaise's Well
St Blaise's Well is a holy well located in the grounds of the old Bishop's Palace , now part of Bromley Civic Centre. in Bromley, Kent.-History of the site:...
and Oratory
Oratory
Oratory is a type of public speaking.Oratory may also refer to:* Oratory , a power metal band* Oratory , a place of worship* a religious order such as** Oratory of Saint Philip Neri ** Oratory of Jesus...
dedicated to Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise
Saint Blaise was a physician, and bishop of Sebastea . According to his Acta Sanctorum, he was martyred by being beaten, attacked with iron carding combs, and beheaded...
and the site became a place of pilgrimage for centuries.
In 1648, during the English civil war - and due to an act of parliament which ordered the disposal of certain church property - the manor of Bromley was sold to Augustine Skinner. The manor house was again returned to the Dicocese of Rochester (and its rightful incumbent, Bishop John Warner
John Warner (bishop)
John Warner was an English churchman, bishop of Rochester and royalist.-Life and career:Son of Harman Warner of London, merchant tailor, he was baptised at St. Clement Danes in the Strand on 17 September 1581. He became demy of Magdalen College, Oxford, in 1599, and was elected fellow there in...
) in 1660, on the restoration of Charles II
Charles II of England
Charles II was monarch of the three kingdoms of England, Scotland, and Ireland.Charles II's father, King Charles I, was executed at Whitehall on 30 January 1649, at the climax of the English Civil War...
.
In 1669, Bishop Sprat had the existing chapel (which was "wainscotted eight foote high with oake") pulled down and rebuilt (the new chapel was consecrated in 1701), and improvements were made to the grounds of the palace . Further additions and improvements were made to the manor by Bishops Francis Atterbury
Francis Atterbury
Francis Atterbury was an English man of letters, politician and bishop.-Early life:He was born at Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, where his father was rector. He was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford, where he became a tutor...
(served 1713–1723) and Joseph Wilcocks (served 1731-1756)). But by 1774 the palace had fallen into disrepair and Bishop John Thomas ordered it to be pulled down and rebuilt - see illustration.
In 1845 the Palace passed out of the hands of the Bishops of Rochester when it was sold to Coles Child
Child Baronets
There have been four Baronetcies created for persons with the surname Child, two in the Baronetage of England and two in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom....
, a wealthy local businessman. He had the house remodelled in 1863 (reputedly by Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw
Richard Norman Shaw RA , was an influential Scottish architect from the 1870s to the 1900s, known for his country houses and for commercial buildings.-Life:...
) and 1903/1920s (reputedly by Ernest Newton
Ernest Newton
Ernest Newton, FRIBA, ARA was an English architect and President of Royal Institute of British Architects.-Life:Newton was the son of an estate manager of Bickley, Kent. He was educated at Uppingham School. He married, in 1881, Antoinette Johanna Hoyack, of Rotterdam, and had three sons...
). In the 1920s it became a girls' finishing school and in 1933 Stockwell teacher training college. Extensions were added for this and again in 1960 when Kent County Council
Kent County Council
Kent County Council is the county council that governs the majority of the county of Kent in England. It provides the upper tier of local government, below which are 12 district councils, and around 300 town and parish councils. The county council has 84 elected councillors...
took control - then the county authority. It became a grade II listed building in 1973. The college closed in 1980 and the complex became part of Bromley Civic Centre in 1982.
A small area of the original parkland survives immediately around the palace. It comprises lawns, a lake, belts of mature trees, a boat house, pulhamite
Pulhamite
Pulhamite was a patented anthropic rock 'material' invented by James Pulham of the firm James Pulham and Son of Broxbourne.Pulhamite, which usually looked like gritty sandstone, was used to join natural rocks together or crafted to simulate natural stone features. The recipe went to the grave...
rockeries, an ice house (building) and a folly
Folly
In architecture, a folly is a building constructed primarily for decoration, but either suggesting by its appearance some other purpose, or merely so extravagant that it transcends the normal range of garden ornaments or other class of building to which it belongs...
.
Further reading
- Lysons, Daniel. The Environs of London - vol. 4: Counties of Herts, Essex & Kent (1796), pp307–323.
- Hasted, Edward. The History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent: Volume 1 (1797), pp550–570.
- Dunkin, John. History and Antiquities of Bromley (1815).
- Strong, Edward. A History of Bromley in Kent (Edward Strong, 1858) pp33 ff.
- Thorne, James. Handbook to the environs of London (John Murray, 1876), pp60–63.
- Clinch, George. Antiquarian Jottings relating to Bromley, Hayes, Keston and West Wickham in Kent (1889).
- Walford, Edward. Greater London: a narrative of its history, its people, and its places (Adamant Media Corporation, 1894).
- Ditchfield, P. H. & Clinch, George. Memorials of old Kent (Bemrose & sons, limited, 1907) pp. 203–204.
External links
- Bromley Palace (Old b/w photograph).
- Bromley Palace (Photo taken in 1990).
