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The Bishop of Ely's Palace south of Somersham is a medieval magnate's moated residence in Huntingdonshire, England, comprising two distinct moated enclosures with associated fishponds. The primary moated site dates to the medieval period and reflects the substantial landed wealth and ecclesiastical authority of the Bishop of Ely, whose territorial holdings across East Anglia made such fortified residences necessary administrative and residential centres. The site's physical character, defined by its water-filled moats and pond systems, served both defensive and practical purposes, with the fishponds providing an important food resource as well as contributing to the landscape's prestige and utility. The later moated site at the location represents subsequent occupation or refortification, indicating the site's continued significance through different phases of medieval settlement.
Medieval magnate's moated residence (the Bishop of Ely's Palace) with fishponds and a later moated site, south of Somersham is a scheduled monument protected by Historic England under reference 1010475. View the official record →
The Bishop of Ely's Palace south of Somersham is a medieval magnate's moated residence in Huntingdonshire, England, comprising two distinct moated enclosures with associated fishponds. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Historic England (NHLE) under reference 1010475.
Medieval magnate's moated residence (the Bishop of Ely's Palace) with fishponds and a later moated site, south of Somersham is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Historic England (NHLE) — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in England. The official designation reference is 1010475.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Bowl barrow 450m east of Shelford Farm (4.9 km), Two bowl barrows 370m and 505m south of New England, part of the Haddenham round barrow cemetery (5.3 km), Three bowl barrows 380m south of Brownshill Staunch House, part of the Over round barrow cemetery (5.4 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 15 strands of Medieval magnate's moated residence (the Bishop of Ely's Palace) with fishponds and a later moated site, south of Somersham's history, each drawn from the record and mapped to the exact spot:
Every location is different. Not every section appears for every place, only what the historical record actually holds turns up in a report.
Medieval magnate's moated residence (the Bishop of Ely's Palace) with fishponds and a later moated site, south of Somersham stands on West Walton Formation, Ampthill Clay Formation And Kimmeridge Clay Formation (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Kimmeridgian. The rock here is mudstone, siltstone and sandstone.