Lyddington Bede House

Lyddington Bede House (or Lyddington Bedehouse) is a historic house in Rutland, England, owned and opened to the public by English Heritage. The existing Grade I listed building[1] is a part of a former palace of the Bishops of Lincoln, later used as an almshouse. It is next to St Andrew's Church in the village of Lyddington. The watch tower or gazebo is separately listed as Grade I[2] and the boundary walls are Grade II.[3] The site is a scheduled monument.[4]

Lyddington Bishops Palace and later Lyddington Bedehouse
Lyddington Bede House
LocationThe Bedehouse is sited adjacent to the parish church.
OS grid referenceSP8758797005
Founded12th Century
DemolishedWing of a building, the remainder demolished after 1547
Architectural style(s)Medieval with later alterations
Governing bodyEnglish Heritage
Listed Building – Grade I
Designated10 November 1955
Reference no.ID: 427654
Reference no.180
Lyddington Bede House is located in Rutland
Lyddington Bede House
Location in Rutland

History
The "Bishop's Eye" watch tower on the corner of Main Street and Church Lane

The medieval Diocese of Lincoln was the largest bishopric in England, extending from the River Thames to the Humber Estuary. Lyddington lay on a north–south road and the estate here was a convenient place for the bishop's entourage to stop when traversing the diocese.

After the Reformation, ownership passed to the Cecil family who made it their private house. By 1600 it had passed to Thomas Cecil, 1st Earl of Exeter, son of Lord Burghley, who converted it into an almshouse for twelve poor bedesmen and it continued in this use until 1930. A feature is the former bishop's Great Chamber with its beautifully carved ceiling cornice.

The remains of the fishponds of the bishop's palace are nearby.

Nearby English Heritage attractions

See also: other palaces and residences of the Bishop of Lincoln

Bibliography
  • Country Life 24 July 1909, pp. 126–134.
  • Goodall J. (2017), "Preserved to Perfection: Lyddington Palace, Rutland". Country Life, 1 March, pp. 62–66.
  • Pevsner N & Williamson, (1984), The Buildings of England: Leicestershire and Rutland, Yale University Press pp 482–3
  • The Victoria History of the County of Rutland: Volume I, (1908), 118-119
  • The Victoria History of the County of Rutland: Volume II, (1935), 188-191
  • Woodfield, C and P, (1993) Lyddington Bede House
  • Woodfield, C and P, (1982) "The Palace of the Bishops of Lincoln at Lyddington", Transactions of the Leics Archaeological and Historical Society, Vol. 57, 1-16
  • A 1796 print of the north front
    A 1796 print of the north front
  • Attic roof structure
    Attic roof structure
  • The Bede House and St Andrew's Church from the orchard
    The Bede House and St Andrew's Church from the orchard
  • Early 16th-century cornice
    Early 16th-century cornice
  • Bede House, hall
    Bede House, hall
  • Decorated medieval fireplace
    Decorated medieval fireplace
  • North aspect
    North aspect
  • Bedesman's room
    Bedesman's room

References
  1. Historic England. "The Bedehouse (1264528)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 20 August 2015.
  2. Historic England. "The Watch Tower (1236617)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  3. Historic England. "Walls surrounding enclosures to north east south west of Lyddington Bedehouse (1236618)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
  4. Historic England. "Lyddington Bedehouse: a medieval bishop's palace and post-medieval almshouse with moat, gardens, fishponds and cultivation remains (1013825)". National Heritage List for England. Retrieved 21 August 2015.
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