The Palace Lectures and Workshops
We are thrilled to offer a variety of fascinating lectures and engaging workshops in Somerset throughout the year. Nestled within our 800-year-old Palace and surrounded by 14 acres of stunning RHS partner gardens, it’s the perfect setting to delve into history or unleash your creativity!
Our Palace Lectures, a series of talks held year-round, cover a wide array of intriguing topics. Delivered by historians, gardeners, and subject experts, these events offer a unique opportunity to learn and be inspired in the heart of Wells, Somerset.
Walk and Talk – ‘Winter Gardening and Snowdrops’
- Thursday, 13th February – 10am -1pm
Join Head Gardener James Cross for a walk around the grounds as he gives a comprehensive talk about winter gardening. After a break for tea and cake, Amanda Hirst will give a talk on James Allen, known locally as The Snowdrop King and the first person to breed new varieties from wild snowdrops.
Tickets
- Adult – £25
- Friend of the Palace – £20
The Time Travelling Carpenter – ‘King Pins, Bunglers, Caterpillars and Fornication?’
- Thursday, 13th February – 6pm-7pm (gates open 5.45pm)
Jeff Loader (aka The Time Travelling Carpenter) delivers an entertaining and lively talk about the forerunner of modern table billiard games: Medieval Ground Billiards. He presents his audience with historical clues and evidence, allowing them to investigate together whether a medieval game played on grass was indeed the precursor to the modern table game.
Tickets
- Adult – £5
- Student – £4
- Friend of the Palace – Free
Fencers and Fight Books – ‘The History of Fencing in the 15th to 17th Centuries’
- Thursday, 10th April – 6pm – 7pm (gates open 5.45pm)
Throughout the medieval and early modern period, fencing and the study of arms was considered one of the hallmarks of noble and princely activity. Much of what is known about fencing at this time is captured in ‘fightbooks’, treatises written by fencing masters and which often contained beautiful pictures of martial techniques. In this talk, Dr Rob Runacres will discuss the development of fencing in the period as illustrated by the extensive fightbook literature.
Rob Runacres is a historian and fencing instructor, specialising in the history of Italian fencing masters and princely education. He is the founder of the Renaissance Sword Club, where he teaches rapier and associated sword forms. Several of his fightbook translations have been published and he regularly gives talks on early modern martial arts.
Tickets
- Adult – £5
- Student – £4
- Friend of the Palace – Free
Workshop: Spring Flowers Watercolours
- Friday, 16th May – 10.30am-3.30pm (1 hour lunch break 12.30pm-1.30pm)
Come for a soothing watercolour course that immerses you in the beauty of spring flowers and the changing seasons. Set against the scenic backdrop of The Bishop’s Palace, this class is ideal for beginners, offering a perfect opportunity to explore your creativity. All materials will be provided, with the exception of a sketchbook. Take a moment to unwind and connect with nature while learning the fundamentals of watercolour painting.
Workshop provided by Gemma Lane from Green Fox Workshops.
Tickets
- Standard – £55
- Friends of the Palace – £50
Avalon Archaeology – ‘Recreating Roman and Saxon Buildings’
- Thursday, 3rd July – 6pm-7pm (gates open 5.45pm)
At the Avalon Archaeology site near Glastonbury, recreations have been made of buildings from different periods. These include a Saxon longhall based on one from Cheddar, that was probably owned by King Alfred, and a winter dining room of a typical Roman villa from Somerset with mosaic floor, frescoes and working hypocaust. Join Dr Richard Brunning for a talk showing how the reconstructions required the use of a wide range of information from archaeology, literature, history and art together with some informed guesswork to complete the challenge.
Dr Brunning is the Senior Historic Environment Office and Archaeologist at South West Heritage Trust, and took the lead on the brilliant Avalon Archaeology Project.
Tickets
- Adult – £5
- Student – £4
- Friend of the Palace – Free
Workshop: Sketching Tour
- Friday, 4th July – 10.30am-3.30pm (1 hour lunch break 12.30-1.30pm)
Join us for a hands-on workshop focused on tonal shading and mark making. This session will guide you through various techniques to capture detail effectively while encouraging a more relaxed approach to your sketching style. You will have the opportunity to study the scenic grounds of The Bishop’s Palace, allowing you to practice your skills in a beautiful setting.
The workshop is suitable for beginners, and all materials will be provided, apart from a sketchbook. Bring your enthusiasm and willingness to explore new artistic methods. We look forward to seeing you there!
Lunch not included. Participants are welcome to bring their own packed lunch or purchase lunch from The Bishop’s Table on site. Workshop provided by Gemma Lane from Green Fox Workshops.
Tickets
- Standard – £55
- Friends of the Palace – £50