The car park is now open again! Access from Station Road will close on 30 May for 2-3 weeks for more path works.
audio tour
exhibitions & events
Thinking of Volunteering? We've an open morning for new and maybe volunteers 10-1pm Saturday 26th February. Pop in, meet some current volunteers, find out what we do. Perhaps combine it with seeing the Henry VIII Tableau in the High Street (10.30-12pm)? We are part of the Tudor celebrations this year. See you soon!
Film afternoon at the HRO!
16th February 2022
Wessex Film and Sound Archive will be showing us some films of the local area.
Email us for details and booking
Archaeologists are in the Palace!
Now the interior of the West Tower is visible again, English Heritage are thinking how best to let our visitors see it. Context One archaeologists have excavated some test pits in the Tower and in the antechamber to see what is under the current surface.
It seems that the archaeology undertaken in the 1950s and 60s was very thorough - however, the dig did find some things of interest and we'll report more shortly. In the meantime, here is a photo of the cross wall in the basement of the West Tower - which you couldn't see before the ivy came off. Its purpose is unknown but it sits under a corbel to support a floor beam so it wasn't built there originally.
AGM 2022 9th March Parish Hall 7.30pm
Talk: Henry VIII in Bishop's Waltham. Tony Kippenberger
Open to all, our AGM will include the normal business then move on to celebrate the 500th Anniversary of Henry VIII's visit to the Palace in 1522. This is part of a town wide celebration throughout 2022!
Bishop's Waltham events for Henry VIII visit 500 years ago | Hampshire Chronicle
FUN QUIZ NIGHT!
We are delighted to announce a quiz night with Kevin Ashman from Eggheads. Come and join us on Saturday 26th March - doors open 7pm. Details for reserving tables on the poster.
(We promise it won't be all history!)
NOW SOLD OUT, sorry!
Hampshire Record Office Exhibition!
Another exhibition? Yes!
We are very happy to announce that we are the first community group to put on an exhibition in the foyer of the Hampshire Record Office since lockdown! Our new exhibition is a follow up to the 2020Vision photography project (see below), showing both new photos of BW and photos from our archives.
Come and visit the exhibition for free from the middle of October until Christmas 2021.
In 2021 we teamed up with the Archaeology department at Southampton to offer work experience to students for the first time. Due to Covid, the students could not spend much time in the museum so we set them other tasks!
Gaby produced this excellent online exhibition for us (click to access), and Shannon's work is helping us to make our collections more accessible to all...
Conservation in Action Day
Friday 6th August 2021, 11-4pm
English Heritage are bringing their new Conservation Roadshow to BW Palace! There will be hands-on activities for everyone, stone masonry demonstrations, and people can learn about what goes into conserving their incredible sites.
English Heritage are also leading tours of the Palace ruins if you want more information on the site if you've been enjoying it through lockdown. Sign up in the museum for the tours.
The museum will be open as normal but with extra activities outside for the whole family, including our mini-dig and "what is that?" table.
Bishop's Waltham Society will be there with information on our Henry VIII Day next year, and the North Pond Group will be there to tell you what they've been doing around the North Pond (formerly part of the Palace).
All accompanied by some strolling players and dancers - what could be nicer? ...Oh yes, its all FREE! Just come along. See you there!
We are delighted to say that over 400 people came to our Conservation in Action Day with English Heritage! (Photos by Geoff Hallett)
2021 Museum Exhibition opening 22 May!
We are just putting the finishing touches to the exhibition - and this year we are looking at maps. Briefly covering the earliest maps, we move on to Hampshire and local maps from 1575 onwards. Hampshire and BW have changed considerably. Come and see for yourself?!
Conservation work by English Heritage is restarting!
The fencing and scaffolding is going up and will be up until the end of September. The Palace will not be looking its best, and unfortunately, many areas will be out of bounds. Apologies for any inconvenience, but the work will ensure the survival and safety of the Palace ruins for many years to come. The information panels look great!
Tours with Sam Stones of English Heritage
Music by Myal Pyper with BW medieval dancers
The English Heritage Conservation Camper in action - lots of wall building going on!
Paye doing demonstrations of their work on the walls
2020Vision virtual exhibition now OPEN!
The 2020Vision team are proud to present their virtual exhibition of the photos of Bishop's Waltham collected in 2020. As well as nearly 100 featured images, many more superb photos can be accessed from the website under 'All Photos'. They are well worth viewing to give a picture of everyday life in Bishop's Waltham in an extraordinary year. The images have now been passed on to Bishop's Waltham Museum Trust for future preservation.
Talk: 20th May 2021
For our next event of the year we are having a Zoom talk by Penny Copeland on Timber Framed Buildings - with lots of examples from Bishop's Waltham and around. So, if you have exposed timbers in your house and you want to know more, this is for you! All members and volunteers are invited.
If you would like to come but are not a member then please contact us to join the talk on a try out basis. If you know anyone who would like to join, but doesn't know how to use Zoom, please contact us and we will help. Please note, we are teaming up with Bishop's Waltham Society again for this one.
AGM:
Our AGM is set for 31st March 2021. It will take place over Zoom. If you are not yet a member and would like an invite, please email us. *NEWS* Minor changes to the Constitution adopted at the AGM.
Malt Lane Development Site
The report on the archaeologists findings is now out! For the full report, go to the Winchester City Council Planning portal and search for 21/00359/FUL. Otherwise, we have a summary for you... Click on the picture here....
Talk: 18th January 2021
For our first event of the year we are having a Zoom talk by Don Bryan on the marriage of Mary Tudor and Philip of Spain at Winchester. All members and volunteers are invited so see you there!
If you know anyone who would like to join, but doesn't know how, please contact us and we will help.
Southampton Archaeology Unit digging in the Palace outer court! More info soon.
English Heritage works at the Palace
English Heritage have been busy at Bishop's Waltham Palace in 2020! The beginning of lockdown also saw the start of the big conservation works on the perimeter walls and ivy removal on the towers. The whole place is looking really good and ready for the big push in 2021. See the November newsletter for more information. The museum was not forgotten and we have now got new heating!
Dave Godley and Andy Cunningham from BCS
