The Grade I listed Tudor palace and the Grade II* listed park and garden will undergo a comprehensive restoration, creating new exhibition space and interpretation to show how the Bishop of London lived and worked.

History of Fulham Palace

The present site of Fulham Palace is steeped in history, with archaeological evidence of Neolithic, Iron Age and Roman settlers and the foundations of a medieval palace under the East Lawn. The palace itself, completed in the 13th century, was the country home of the Bishop of London until 1973. It stands upon the site of buildings owned by the Bishop since the early 8th century. The grounds originally covered over 30 acres, although today only 12 acres remain. Although the Palace has its own chapel, the gardens adjoin the churchyard of the neighbouring parish church, All Saints Church, Fulham, where several former bishops are buried. The palace also boasts the longest moat in England.

Community roots

As Hammersmith and Fulham’s only Grade I listed building, and Grade II* listed park and garden, Fulham Palace is immensely important to the local community, from amenity societies to local schools and families.  It also represents the last major Thames landscape to be restored following successful restoration projects at a number of historic houses and gardens including Kew Gardens, Marble Hill, Syon House, and Hampton Court.

[quote=Sian Harrington, Chief Executive of Fulham Palace Trust]"This grant will enable us to improve the way we tell people about our rich horticultural and built heritage, making sure that we are relevant and exciting to a wide range of visitors both now and in the future."[/quote]

Sian Harrington, Chief Executive of Fulham Palace Trust, said: “I am so pleased that HLF has awarded us this grant. It will allow us to continue the restoration work that started over 10 years ago and will provide even greater public access to the rooms and gardens here. Crucially this grant will enable us to improve the way we tell people about our rich horticultural and built heritage, making sure that we are relevant and exciting to a wide range of visitors both now and in the future. We believe it will really put us on the map and help us become a must-see.”

Stuart Hobley, Head of HLF London, said: “The site of Fulham Palace has an incredibly rich history, with evidence of habitation going back to Neolithic times, and has been the home of Bishops of London for over 1,300 years. As well as carrying out critical restoration, this project will allow the public to explore the working lives of the Bishops of London, and help young people and adults learn new skills. We are delighted that National Lottery players have been able to provide this support”.

For further details please visit the Fulham Palace website.