Welcome to Farnham’s Norman Castle and Bishop’s Palace
A brief history of Farnham Castle
Caedwalla, an Anglo Saxon King, signed a charter in AD 688 granting certain lands in Farnham to the Bishop of Winchester. Little is known of the early period but the monks at Waverley Abbey mentioned the existence of a castle at Farnham in 1128.
The diocese of Winchester was regarded as one of the wealthiest in the kingdom and early bishops wielded immense power. One of the earliest to feature in our history, Henry of Blois (1129—71) was the grandson of William the Conqueror and brother of King Stephen. Henry acted as Chancellor of England as did eight of his successors, including William of Wykeham (1367-1404), Cardinal Beaufort (1404-47), William Waynflete (1447-86) and Cardinal Wolsey (1529). Many were close friends of the king and royalty made many visits to Farnham.
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The buildings today can be divided into two main elements, the round Keep and the Bishops’ Palace. It had been assumed that the castle was a traditional motte and bailey structure, with a castle tower on top of a hill. Excavations in the c20th have shown this to be incorrect for the base of the stone tower is now known to be rendered on the exterior face, indicating that the tower was built from ground level with earth being piled up around the base. The ring wall of the keep was probably erected in the c12th to form a shell keep.
Shell keep
Outer bank and ditch
The Bishop's Palace
The Palace is a much larger and complex affair. The main room, the Great Hall, was constructed in the late c12th, an aisled room, with two rows of oak posts running down its length. In its present form the room is c17th in appearance but one of the original oak posts has been retained in a cupboard off the upper-level gallery and has been dated by dendrochronology to have been felled about 1180.
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Access to the Bishop’s Camera, his private room, was via a stone stair just inside the entrance door, the current entrance hall and oak stair being a later addition. The Camera, now fitted out with neo-Georgian panelling probably inserted in the 1930s, has a scissor braced roof thus obviating the need for vertical posts across a wide span of 48 feet. Eleven timbers have been dendrochronologically dated to felling dates between 1224 and 1363. The roof was probably reconstructed during major works carried out in the 1380s.
Another early room, the so-called Norman Chapel, has round headed windows, Romanesque and probably from the c12th. Other arches appear to be early c13th work. The Bishops’ Pipe Rolls record work being carried out to the chapel at Farnham in the early c13th. But there was another chapel, adjacent to the main entrance tower and since removed. Was the reference to that chapel or to the so-called Norman chapel? Could this room have had another purpose, perhaps as lodging accommodation?
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The entrance gatehouse is probably medieval and would have been approached across a drawbridge over the dry moat that surrounds the castle.
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The main entrance tower can be dated to 1470-75, Bishop Waynflete being the builder. Its inspiration was clearly Tattershall Castle in Lincolnshire (1445) and where Waynflete had connections with its builder, Lord Cromwell. An adjacent tower connected to the east is by Bishop Fox (1501-28), the blind bishop.
A Lodging Range, the popularly called the Tudor Range, was most likely erected between 1470 and 1520, but the exact date is unknown.
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Farnham Castle suffered in the English Civil War of the 1640s. Originally held by Parliamentary forces, it was attacked and taken by Royalists before being retaken by the Parliamentarians. As a result, the castle was seriously damaged. The restitution of the monarchy in 1660 meant the return of the Bishops to Winchester. Brian Duppa was installed in 1660 but died in 1662. This led to the arrival of one of the most significant figures in the castle’s history, Bishop George Morley (1662-1684).
Morley arrived from Worcester and set about its repair and reconstruction. He had been closely connected with the Royal court and joined it in the Low Countries and Paris during the Commonwealth. He preached the sermon at the coronation of Charles II. It is said to have lasted 4 hours. His work at Farnham includes the repair and alteration of the Great Hall, with its raised flat ceiling and oak fire surround, the insertion of the entrance hall and great oak stair plus his most significant addition, the chapel adjoining the Bishop's Camera. Panelled in oak, the room is small but research at Winchester will no doubt identify the architect. Morley was also carrying out major work at Winchester, including the building of a new Palace. Its architect is known, Sir Thomas Fitch (1637-88), a leading master carpenter and prominent figure in the building world of c17th London. Perhaps he was the designer at Farnham? The entrance doors contain several double-sided star heads, said to have been given to Morley by King Louis XIV of France, the Sun King. Morley was possibly responsible for the large brick stables overlooking the car park.
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Morley died at Farnham in 1684.
The diocese of Winchester was divided in the early 20th century, and Farnham became part of the new diocese of Guildford. The many portraits of bishops at Farnham are early c20th copies, the originals having been taken back to Winchester. But one early portrait remains, that of Bishop Morley and probably a c18th copy of an original by Lely.
The castle played a part in WWII, becoming a school of camouflage. Early students included notable figures from the world of art, architecture, and stage design.
The Bishop of Guildford left the castle in the 1950s and it became a centre for international cultural study, The Centre for International Briefing. That ceased to exist in the early 21st century and the castle is now occupied by an events company, Farnham Castle Operations Ltd.
