Tickets & Opening
The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens in Wells, Somerset is run by The Palace Trust, a registered charity which manages the site as a heritage visitor attraction.
Opening Hours
Summer
9.30am – 5.30pm
Open daily from March 2025 – October 2025.
Winter
10am – 4pm
Open daily from October 2025 – March 2026 (excluding Christmas closures – see below).
Value-Packed Admission
Value-packed admission gives access to the medieval Palace and Undercroft, ruined Great Hall, 14 acres of RHS Partner Gardens, The Bishop’s Chapel and to a year-round events programme (unless event is ticketed separately) including family workshops, storytelling, monthly Wellbeing Walks, themed events and daily guided tours.
Choose from the popular 12 month Annual Pass or Day Tickets. Details below.
It’s free to visit The Bishop’s Table café and the Croquet Lawn area.
Admission
12 Month Annual Pass
Includes access to the Palace buildings, gardens and non-ticketed themed events including Bowlore Medieval, The Wardour Garrison, Medieval Falconry and two day Knight’s Tournament. Plus entry to the Rare Plant Fair as well as family trails and school holiday activities.
| Who | Standard (2025) |
| Adult Annual Pass | £25 |
| Family Annual Pass (1 adult) | £40 |
| Family Annual Pass (2 adults) | £65 |
| Child Annual Pass (5-17 years) | £10 |
| Child Annual Pass (Under 5 years) | FREE |
| Essential Helpers Assisting Disabled Visitors | FREE |
| Student (With valid in date card) | £18 |
Day Tickets
| Who | Standard (2025) |
| Adult Day Ticket | £14 |
| Child Day Ticket | £7 |
| Student Day Ticket | £12 |
| Child Day Ticket (Under 5 years) | FREE |
| Joint Day Ticket with Wells Cathedral | £22 |
Friends of the Palace
The Friends of the Palace scheme replaces the previous Membership programme.
Other Ticket Options
Joint Day Ticket to Wells Cathedral and The Bishop’s Palace £22
One ticket provides access to the two major Wells attractions on the day of the visit with a significant saving on the cost of separate admission.
RHS Membership (purchase via the RHS)
As the Palace is an RHS partner garden, RHS members are welcome to visit free on a Friday (year-round) and on a Monday (winter hours in 2025), excluding special events. This does not include the option for return visits. Please show your RHS card at the ticket office to receive your ticket.
2025 Update: Unfortunately, the admission details included in this year’s RHS Handbook for RHS Members are incorrect; please refer to the information above for valid admission dates.
RHS membership visits can not be pre-booked in advance.
Historic Houses Membership (purchase via Historic Houses)
The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens is part of the Historic Houses group. Visits are covered by a Historic Houses Membership (except on special event days). Please present your Historic Houses Membership at the ticket office to receive your ticket.
Historic Houses visits can not be pre-booked in advance and do not include the option for return visits.
Gardeners’ World 2-4-1
The Bishop’s Palace accepts Gardeners’ World 2-for-1 vouchers on normal sightseeing days. This discount voucher is not valid on certain special event days. Please present your Gardeners’ World 2-for-1 voucher at our Ticket Office on arrival to receive your discount.
Gardeners’ World 2-for-1 discounts cannot be pre-booked and do not include the option for return visits.
Tours
Make the most of your visit to the Palace by exploring with a digital or multimedia tour, or join one of our expert volunteer guides for a fascinating in-person experience.
Discover exclusive audio and video content of our RHS gardens via Bloomberg Connects
You can now explore The Bishop’s Palace’s 14 acres of RHS partner gardens from anywhere with our free digital guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. Featuring staff-led audio tours, images, multilingual content, BSL and audio description, the guide helps you plan your visit, enjoy insights on site, and discover more about the Palace’s history and gardens.
Multimedia Tours of the Palace Building
Multimedia tours of the Palace are included with admission, offering adult and family-friendly versions with quizzes, treasure hunts, music, imagery and even talking Bishops. Visitors are guided through the Palace’s history across five themes in an engaging and interactive way. Tours are available free to ticket holders daily from 10am–4pm at the Palace entrance, with volunteers on hand to help.
Daily Guided Tours
Daily guided tours are led by expert volunteers, with availability confirmed at the Ticket Office on the day. In summer, tours run at 11am, 12pm, 2pm and 3pm, covering the Palace, Chapel and gardens. In winter, a combined Palace and Gardens tour is offered at 12pm (weather permitting), lasting about an hour.
Partial/Full-Site Closures
On occasion, the Palace site may need to be closed at the last minute due to adverse weather conditions or an event.
You’re welcome to call us on 01749 988111 ext. 200 to double-check we are open before you visit.
- Saturday 4th October – Palace building closure from 1pm
- Saturday 11th October – Palace building closure from 1pm
- Friday 24th October – Palace building closure form 1pm
- Saturday 18th October – Palace building closure from 1pm
- Friday 7th November – Palace building closure from 12pm (Christmas Artisan Market set-up)
- Monday 17th November, 8.30am – Tuesday 18th November, 8.30am – Bishop’s Eye Gate Closure (no vehicle access from Market Place to Palace – pedestrians can still walk through)
- Saturday 22nd November – Palace building closure from 1pm
- Saturday 29th November – Palace building closure from 1pm
- Saturday 13th December – Palace and Gardens closure from 12.20pm
Dogs
Dogs are welcome in the gardens other than the Dragon’s Lair area as this is a safe space for children; we do ask that they are kept on a short lead elsewhere in the gardens. Dogs may not enter the Palace buildings unless they are assistance dogs.
We have a dog-friendly café where your dog will have access to water and you can purchase dog treats!
Scooters and Bikes
Scooters and bikes should not be ridden once you have crossed the drawbridge to ensure the safety of other visitors.
Bike racks are available behind the Gatehouse on the right after you cross the drawbridge. There is also a designated area in front of the wooden hut by the garden entrance gate for leaving scooters and bikes, which is visible from the café.
Tripadvisor
Don’t just take our word for it! Read our visitor reviews on TripAdvisor.
Our Location
- Off Market Place (through The Bishop’s Eye entrance)
- Wells
- Somerset
- BA5 2PD
(for Sat Nav use BA5 2RE – This will take you to Harris & Harris. Continue walking under the Bishop’s Eye and bare right along the path to reach the Gatehouse and Portcullis. Please note that the weight limit on the drawbridge is 2.7 tonnes.)
There is no parking on site. Travel and parking information can be found HERE.