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Ramsbury Manor

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as;
Remmesbury

In the civil parish of Ramsbury.
In the historic county of Wiltshire.
Modern Authority of Wiltshire.
1974 county of Wiltshire.
Medieval County of Wiltshire.

OS Map Grid Reference: SU25707096
Latitude 51.43734° Longitude -1.63169°

Ramsbury Manor has been described as a certain Palace, and also as a probable Fortified Manor House.

There are no visible remains.

This is a Grade 1 listed building protected by law*.

Description

Great house constructed 1681-83 in English Renaissance period style on the site of an earlier house constructed in 1560. A Medieval deer park and garden features surround the house. The bishops of Salisbury had, from C13, a park and a palace at Ramsbury Manor. (PastScape)

Ramsbury throughout the Middle Ages was one of the bishop of Salisbury's principal and, especially in the later 15th century and the early 16th, most often lived in palaces. The house stood beside the Kennet in a park which has been extended more than once. The bishops had at the house a chapel dedicated to the Virgin and a cloister was mentioned in 1320. Licences were granted to crenellate in 1337 and to wall and crenellate in 1377. Leland described the house c. 1540 as 'fair' and 'old'. Between 1552 and 1567 William, earl of Pembroke, spent over £2,000 on building work at the site. His house had a main symmetrical east front of two storeys with attics and nine gables. (VCH)

In the early to mid 12th century the Bishops of Salisbury moved their Ramsbury residence to the well-documented site at Ramsbury Manor Park. Prior to that time it is thought that the episcopal residence was located within the settlement (see Ramsbury 'castle'). (Mcmahon p. 11)

A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1337 Aug 30 (Click on the date for details of this licence.).
A Royal licence to crenellate was granted in 1377 July 20.

Comments

Although a sketch survives of the house of 1560 nothing is known of the form of the bishop's medieval house beyond this mention of a chapel and cloister. It presumably had the domestic security of a boundary wall and may well have had decorative battlements.
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Sources of information, references and further reading
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*The listed building may not be the actual medieval building, but a building on the site of, or incorporating fragments of, the described site.
This record last updated 26/07/2017 09:20:09

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