The site and buildings of The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens are owned by the Church Commissioners and operated by The Palace Trust, a registered charity which manages the site as a heritage visitor attraction.

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

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.