© Mapbox · © OpenStreetMap contributors · Boundary data © Cadw
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff is a medieval bishops' residence located in the parish of Llandaff in Wales. The palace stands upon Triassic bedrock of interbedded sandstone and conglomerate, geological formations laid down during the Triassic period. This stable foundation provided good ground for the substantial stone construction that characterises ecclesiastical buildings of the medieval period.
The palace served as an administrative and residential centre for the bishops of Llandaff, reflecting the considerable wealth and authority of the medieval Welsh church. The building fabric and layout are typical of high-status clerical dwellings, designed to accommodate both domestic life and the formal reception of visitors. The site's prominence within Llandaff parish underscores the bishop's role as a major landholder and political figure in the medieval Welsh ecclesiastical hierarchy.
Today, Old Bishop's Palace remains an important record of medieval episcopal power and domestic life in Wales. The monument is protected by Cadw, the Welsh Historic Monuments Service, under reference GM073, ensuring its preservation for future study and public understanding of medieval Welsh religious institutions and their material culture.
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff is a scheduled monument protected by Cadw under reference GM073. View the official record →
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff is a medieval bishops' residence located in the parish of Llandaff in Wales. It is designated a Scheduled Ancient Monument by Cadw under reference GM073.
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff dates from the medieval period, and is classified as a bishops palace. It is one of over 32,000 scheduled monuments protected across the UK.
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff is a Scheduled Ancient Monument, legally protected by Cadw — the body responsible for designating and safeguarding heritage sites in Wales. The official designation reference is GM073.
Several scheduled monuments lie within 10 km, including Ely Tidal Harbour Coal Staithe Number One (5.7 km), Cwm George Camp (5.8 km), Tyn y Coed Earthwork (6 km).
This page is just one thread. A full Aubrey report pulls together 13 strands of Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff'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.
Old Bishop's Palace, Llandaff stands on Triassic Rocks (Undifferentiated), bedrock that formed in the Triassic. The rock here is sandstone and conglomerate, interbedded.