Donations and Appeals

Our Legacy

The Palace Trust gets no statutory funding. The cost of maintaining the Palace is met entirely by grants from organisations like the National Lottery and Charitable Trusts, by Admission tickets, special events and our café.  But this does not cover the entire cost of everyday maintenance, so donations to this aspect of our work are also always welcome.

Likewise, the cost of conservation work cannot be met by admission fees etc. so we rely on voluntary donations to finance this aspect of our work. The annual costs vary between £400,000 and £500,000.

So, this is an area where we welcome donations – large or small, regular or one-off – to enable us to carry out this vital work.

Our Purpose

As stewards of this beautiful and historic place, our primary purpose is “to conserve The Bishop’s Palace for future generations; welcoming all who seek a place of beauty, reflection, and enjoyment”

Our Vision

The Bishop’s Palace – Protected forever; treasured by all.

Projects

Improving Access and Caring for Our Heritage

The wooden bridge across the moat has served The Bishop’s Palace for many years, but it is now worn and no longer meets modern accessibility needs. As stewards of this historic site, we want every visitor to move safely and confidently through the gardens.

We are therefore planning a new, wider and fully accessible bridge that remains sensitive to the Palace’s character while providing a smooth, secure crossing for everyone. This upgrade will also restore a complete circular route, helping visitors experience the gardens as they were intended.

The project is an important part of our long‑term commitment to preserving the Palace’s landscape and enhancing the visitor experience for generations to come.

To learn more about the project please contact: [email protected]

Caring for Our Moat: Sluice Gate Upgrade

This spring, we are beginning essential conservation work to upgrade the sluice gates that manage water flow around the Palace moat. These mechanisms play a vital role in protecting the historic walls, maintaining stable water levels and supporting the wildlife that depends on the Palace’ unique habitat.

The new, more efficient penstocks and solar‑powered control systems will improve reliability, reduce manual intervention and help us care for the moat in a more sustainable way. This upgrade is an important step in safeguarding one of the Palace’s most distinctive features for the future.

We look forward to sharing updates as the project progresses.

Protecting Somerset’s Heritage: Long Gallery Portrait Conservation

We have recently submitted a funding request to the Pilgrim Trust to support the urgent conservation of several historic portraits in the Long Gallery. These important works, which depict Bishops of Wells across the centuries, are beginning to show signs of deterioration and now require specialist care to prevent further damage.

The project includes conservation treatments for individual paintings and frames, as well as essential stabilisation work across the wider portrait collection. If funding is secured, this will help safeguard an irreplaceable part of the Palace’s heritage and ensure these remarkable artworks remain accessible to visitors, worshippers and researchers for generations to come.

We look forward to sharing updates as the application progresses.

Solar Project Grant Awarded

We’re delighted to share that funding has been awarded for the next phase of our environmental programme: installing new solar PV panels on the Palace roofs. This system is expected to generate around 27 MWh of clean energy each year and save over 5 tonnes of CO₂ annually, helping us cut emissions and reduce long‑term energy costs.

This work builds on our wider Environmental Project, supporting our commitment to the UN Race to Zero pledge and our goal of reaching Net Zero by 2050.

We look forward to sharing more as installation begins.

Improving Our Glasshouse

We have applied for funding to upgrade the glasshouse in our Community Garden. This space is essential for propagating rare and historic plants and for supporting our education and wellbeing programmes. It currently struggles with unstable temperatures and limited climate control, which affects plant health and restricts its use during colder months.

The project will introduce electric heating, automated ventilation and silver shading blinds to create a stable and efficient growing environment. These improvements will help protect vulnerable plant collections, support year‑round learning and community activities and enhance the overall visitor experience

If successful, this work will ensure the glasshouse remains a thriving hub for conservation and horticultural learning for years to come.

For more ways you can support The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens, please donate using the button below.