A Visit to The (Old) Palace

A quick blog today to get up to date. Apologies that I have been quiet - there is a good reason but I can't tell you what it is, yet.

Yesterday, Trev and I went on a bit of a road trip. A sick chicken before we left wasn't the ideal start.

First off to Wisbech to The Orchard Tea Room. Besides the tea room they have big orchards ( I know, there is a clue, ) of mixed apples and plums. I had ordered 15kgs Victoria Plums and needed to pick them up. I shall probably order some more as they have a 2-3 week season and have only just started picking. After I have finished this I shall go over to The Old Smithy and get cooking some jam and some chutney.

Plums stowed in the boot we set off for Lincoln. I had won a cream tea for two in The Old Palace Hotel, situated next to the cathedral in Lincoln. There was a lovely warm welcome waiting for us and we were shown into the drawing room with a panoramic view over the city.

We had a delicious cream tea served to us and every mouthful was packed with flavour.

The Old Palace is in a beautiful setting, and thought I would just bring you a little of it's history. There has been a palace on the site for almost 1,000 years. It was the base for medieval bishops to run the huge Diocese of Lincoln, which at the time stretched from the Humber to the Thames in one direction, and from Cambridgeshire to the edge of the West Midlands in the other.Some of the ruins of the medieval palace are in the grounds and opened to the public by English Heritage.

The existing building is built on some of the medieval foundations and spans three building phases. The first dates from around 1720, at the South West corner and has a classic panelled Georgian staircase. Other rooms were added 10 years later, and then the building remained unchanged for around 150 years until 1885.

At this point Edward King was appointed Bishop and he set about making the changes that are in evidence today. It continued to be used as the Episcopal seat until 1948 when the then Bishop of Lincoln moved to a smaller house on the North side of the cathedral.

The building underwent various uses and refurbishments until opening as the hotel in March 2012. The chapel that Bishop Edward King commissioned, St Hugh's Chapel, is still within the hotel, is still used by the present Bishop and clergy, and is open for use by hotel guests.

We had a thoroughly delightful visit even if they do use Tiptree jam! They are certainly ought to become a candidate for our Real Jampaign!

A not-very-good photo snapped on my phone - have a look at theoldpalace.org they have some great ones!

We paid a quick visit to the lovely farmers' market and met Jenny's Jams - good to catch up face to face.