Friends of the Palace
12 month admission and over £300 of benefits just for you
Year-round access to the Palace and gardens plus a comprehensive programme of Friends-only benefits worth over £300. You’ll also be making a direct contribution towards keeping this unique 800 year old heritage site open for all to enjoy.
Highlights of the Scheme
Benefits, worth more than £300, include:
- Year-round entry
- Free entry to ticketed events
- Friends-only workshops and activities
- Priority booking for all theatre, film and concert events and for Father Christmas
- After-hours exclusive use of the Gardens on special days
- Winter monthly indoor exclusive Friends event
- Quarterly “Bring a Friend for Free” days
- “Behind the Scenes” talks and tours
- Free entry for up to two children
- Half-price day tickets for your guests
- 10% discount in the Shop and café
- Free cake on your birthday from the Café
- Discounted entry to partner gardens including: Kilver Court; Hestercombe House and Gardens; Forde Abbey House and Gardens; Abbotsbury Sub Tropical Gardens; Dartington Trust Gardens; Yeo Valley Gardens; Glastonbury Abbey.
The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens is run by The Palace Trust, a registered charity which manages the site as a heritage visitor attraction. As stewards of this beautiful and historic place, our primary purpose is “to conserve The Bishop’s Palace and its story as a place of enjoyment and reflection for the benefit of all”. Your purchase of a Friends ticket helps us to achieve that mission.
Exclusively for Friends of the Palace
As a Friend of the Palace, you can enjoy a programme of exclusive free events throughout the year. Here’s what you can look forward to in the second quarter of 2026:
- 17 April | Early morning garden entry with dawn chorus (6am start)
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23 April | Half day beginner’s writing workshop (2pm – 5pm)
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24 May | Bring two guests for free (9.30am – 5.30pm)
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11 June | Summer late opening (until 8pm)
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22 June | ‘A Bishop’s Banquet’ talk (6.30pm – 7.30pm)
A Growing Community
Join our growing community of Friends of the Palace who are all making the most of what The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens has to offer.
Whether it’s a morning stroll along Ken’s Walk, attending a Friends workshop or simply observing the changing seasons from your favourite bench, make being a Friend of the Palace work for you.
If you have any questions, please get in touch with us at [email protected] or call 01749 988111.