Lamphey Palace or court is a medieval bishops palace in Pembrokeshire. It is a ruined complex of buildings which belonged to the Bishop.
The grounds of the palace are designated, jointly with the park of Lamphey Court, as Grade II* in the CADW/ICOMOS Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in Wales. It comprises the extensive, secluded remains of a medieval palace of the Bishops of St David’s, at Lamphey which are in the guardianship of CADW (St Davids Bishop’s Palace | Cadw (gov.wales)).
St. Davids was equal to Rome in the medieval
The earliest fabric dates to the mid-13th century with the majority of the surviving buildings built for Bishop Henry de Gower (1328-1347) by the late 17th century were in a ruinous state.
Magnificent medieval palace that rivalled its cathedral for glory
There was only one top job for an ambitious cleric in medieval Wales: Bishop of St Davids in Pembrokeshire.
A 12th-century pope decreed that two trips to St Davids were equal to one to Rome turning it into a centre of pilgrimage for the entire Western world. Thousands flocked to see the shrine of St David in the newly built cathedral.
The Bishop’s home was no match for this magnificence. From 1328 – 1347 Henry de Gower largely rebuilt the estate and turned from a place fit for ‘servants and animals’ into an immense palace.
The east range was his private domain. The south range was for show and ceremony. It was here in the great hall that Bishop Henry dispensed justice, held feasts and welcomed distinguished pilgrims.
The Reformation marked the beginning of the end. William Barlow, the first Protestant Bishop of St Davids, probably stripped the lead from the roofs to cause a decline. Even as a ruin the palace beside its glorious cathedral remains an awe-inspiring space
Welsh – AS Archaeology & Heritage Services
