# Wolvesey Castle > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wolvesey_Castle > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Wolvesey_Castle.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolvesey_Castle > Source revision: 1335733993 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Grade I listed castle in England Wolvesey Castle Facade of the East Hall of Wolvesey Castle Interactive map of Wolvesey Castle 51°03′33″N 1°18′36″W / 51.0592°N 1.31°W / 51.0592; -1.31 Location Winchester OS grid reference SU 48459 29088 Site notes Area Hampshire Owner English Heritage Scheduled monument Official name Wolvesey Palace Designated 19 April 1915 Reference no. 1005535 Listed Building – Grade I Official name Wolvesey Castle Designated 24 March 1950 Reference no. 1095511 **Wolvesey Castle**, in [Winchester](/source/Winchester), [Hampshire](/source/Hampshire), England, was the main residence of the [Bishop of Winchester](/source/Bishop_of_Winchester) in the Middle Ages. The castle, mostly built by [Henry of Blois](/source/Henry_of_Blois) in the 12th century, is now a ruin, except for its fifteenth-century chapel, which is now part of the bishop's current residence, [Wolvesey Palace](/source/Wolvesey_Palace). Wolvesey Castle was primarily a palace, although Blois had it fortified because of [the Anarchy](/source/The_Anarchy). ## Early history The site is an [eyot](/source/Eyot) in the [River Itchen](/source/River_Itchen%2C_Hampshire) known as *Wulveseye* or Wulf's island. There were buildings there during the Roman period.[1] The building before Wolvesey Castle was constructed around 970 by [Æthelwold of Winchester](/source/%C3%86thelwold_of_Winchester), the [Bishop of Winchester](/source/Bishop_of_Winchester) from 963 to 984, as his official residence or palace. ### William Giffard About 1110, the second Norman bishop, [William Giffard](/source/William_Giffard), constructed a new hall to the south west. ### Henry of Blois Under Giffard's successor, [Henry of Blois](/source/Henry_of_Blois), brother of [King Stephen](/source/Stephen_of_England), the palace was given a piped water supply which at the time of its rediscovery by archaeologists in the late 1960s was one of the earliest examples of a piped water supply in a medieval building in England.[2] Henry of Blois also added a second hall to the west between 1135 and 1138.[3] Winchester came under siege during the [Rout of Winchester](/source/Rout_of_Winchester) in 1141 by the [Empress Matilda](/source/Empress_Matilda) during the period of civil war known as [The Anarchy](/source/The_Anarchy), and held out for three weeks until relieved by Henry's sister-in-law [Queen Matilda](/source/Matilda_of_Boulogne). Subsequently Henry enlarged and fortified the palace by building a curtain wall, giving the palace the appearance of a castle.[4] ## Later history In June 1216, [Oliver fitz Regis](/source/Oliver_fitz_Regis) defended the buildings when they were besieged by [Louis of France](/source/Louis_VIII_of_France) during the [First Barons' War](/source/First_Barons'_War).[5] The palace was the location of the [wedding breakfast](/source/Wedding_breakfast) in 1554 of [Queen Mary I](/source/Mary_I_of_England) and [King Philip](/source/Philip_II_of_Spain).[6][7] It was destroyed by the [Roundheads](/source/Roundheads) during the [English Civil War](/source/English_Civil_War) in 1646.[8] The ruins are located next to the existing bishop's palace,[6] and are currently owned and maintained by [English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage). ## Today The extensive surviving ruins are currently owned and maintained by [English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage).[6] The ruins have had [Grade I listed](/source/Grade_I_listed) status since 24 March 1950.[8][9] A fair amount of the [curtain wall](/source/Curtain_wall_(fortification)) remains, but nearly all the inner arrangements are gone, though it is possible to make out the hall, in which there is a good round arch and one surviving [Norman](/source/Norman_architecture) window.[10] The castle is near the [city walls](/source/Winchester_city_walls), parts of which still exist today. - Archways - Woodman's Gate - View of the south end of the East Hall - East Hall facade visible through an archway - View of Wolvesey Castle from St Giles' Hill ## Baroque palace Main article: [Wolvesey Palace](/source/Wolvesey_Palace) The surviving west wing of the baroque-style palace, 1684 A new palace in the baroque style was built to the south by Thomas Finch for [George Morley](/source/George_Morley_(bishop)) in 1684. However, [Brownlow North](/source/Brownlow_North) demolished all but the west wing of this palace in 1786. After a variety of different uses, the remaining part was refurbished for use once again as the bishop's residence in 1926 by [Theodore Woods](/source/Theodore_Woods).[11] The chapel is the only considerable remnant of the south range of the medieval buildings, and is still in use, being attached to the palace.[11] Wolvesey Palace Chapel ## See also - [Castles in Great Britain and Ireland](/source/Castles_in_Great_Britain_and_Ireland) - [List of castles in England](/source/List_of_castles_in_England) - [Wedding of Mary I of England and Philip of Spain](/source/Wedding_of_Mary_I_of_England_and_Philip_of_Spain) ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Biddle, Martin; Keene, Derek (2017). *Winchester*. Oxford: The historic towns trust Winchester excavations committee. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [978-1785706660](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/978-1785706660). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** Biddle, Martin (1969). "Excavations at Winchester 1968: Seventh Interim Report". *The Antiquaries Journal*. **49** (2): 324–325. [doi](/source/Doi_(identifier)):[10.1017/S0003581500053804](https://doi.org/10.1017%2FS0003581500053804). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-guide_3-0)** Biddle, Martin (25 October 1986). *Wolvesey, The Old Bishops's Palace, Winchester*. London: English Heritage. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [1-85074-107-7](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/1-85074-107-7). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-English_4-0)** ["HISTORY OF WOLVESEY CASTLE (OLD BISHOP'S PALACE)"](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wolvesey-castle-old-bishops-palace/history/). *[English Heritage](/source/English_Heritage)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20210401082247/https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wolvesey-castle-old-bishops-palace/history/) from the original on 1 April 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2021. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** [Catherine Hanley](/source/Catherine_Hanley), *Louis: The French Prince Who Invaded England* (Yale University Press, 2016), p. 103. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-EHwebsite_6-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-EHwebsite_6-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-EHwebsite_6-2) ["Wolvesey Castle (Old Bishop's Palace)"](https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wolvesey-castle-old-bishops-palace/). English Heritage. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20150317011723/http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/places/wolvesey-castle-old-bishops-palace) from the original on 17 March 2015. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-EH2000_7-0)** Lorimer Poultney, ed. (2000). *Three Palaces of the Bishops of Winchester*. English Heritage. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-CastleListed_8-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-CastleListed_8-1) [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Details from listed building database (1095511)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1095511?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-PalaceListed_9-0)** [Historic England](/source/Historic_England). ["Details from listed building database (1095510)"](https://HistoricEngland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1095510?section=official-list-entry). *[National Heritage List for England](/source/National_Heritage_List_for_England)*. Retrieved 16 October 2013. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-ReferenceA_10-0)** Charles W.C. Oman, *Castles: An illustrated guide to 80 castles of England and Wales*, Beekman House, 1978 Printing, [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [0-517-26196-0](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/0-517-26196-0) 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-sm_11-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-sm_11-1) ["Wolvesey Palace"](https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1005535). *Historic England*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20180206073534/https://www.historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1005535) from the original on 6 February 2018. Retrieved 5 February 2018. --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Wolvesey Castle](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolvesey_Castle) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolvesey_Castle?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.