Following what has been the hottest July on record in Somerset, and I imagine the driest too, we are hoping for some rain in August. Because June was so wet here in Wells, the gardens have developed well. It was initially the extremely strong and hot sunshine that...

June started with very average weather, but by the 20th it had changed and, rather like May, we experienced an extraordinary spell of record-breaking heat. The heat this June has been tropical compared to last year, with a record temperature of 36.7°C recorded in...

Following a May that was on track to be one of the coolest in many years, it ended much warmer, with the incredible heat from the 24th to the 27th reaching at or above 30°C. The gardens have grown strongly despite that unprecedented heat because of the earlier rains...

Palace Roof Tile RepairsSlate tiles on historic buildings can sometimes come loose, often due to a combination of thermal expansion and wind action. When this happens, it is important to remove any loose slates if there is a risk that they could fall into areas where...

  New Life on the Moat: Five Cygnets Hatch at The Bishop’s Palace, Wells   Spring has arrived at The Bishop’s Palace in Wells, as five cygnets have hatched on the Palace moat. The tiny arrivals were spotted on the nest of the Palace’s famous resident swans,...

Following an exceptionally mild March and another very mild April, with daytime temperatures above 15°C and very few frosts, the gardens are looking very full and exceptionally healthy. April was a dry month, although it was much cooler and wetter compared to last...

  Help shape a new “Fun and Games at The Palace” exhibition Do you have a photograph tucked away of a day out at The Bishop’s Palace?  Perhaps a snapshot of a wrestling match on the croquet lawn in 1967, a team photo from an It’s a Knockout competition in the...

  What a bumper spring again! It’s arrived very early and is very floriferous. The ground is slowly drying out and, despite some chilly weather at the end of March, we have avoided any significant frost. The best things about April are the later-flowering...

  Tessa Munt, MP for Wells and Mendip Hills, visited The Bishop’s Palace and Gardens on Saturday 14 March as part of British Tourism Week, highlighting the importance of tourism to the city and the wider local economy.  Tourism plays an important role across...

  The Bishop’s Palace will be illuminated in pink and yellow from 27 to 29 March as part of the national “Light Up the UK” campaign, raising awareness of brain tumours and showing support for those affected.  Joining landmarks across the country, the historic...