Fulham Palace

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Fulham Palace in London (formerly in Middlesex), England, is of medieval origin. The land on which Fulham Palace now stands can be traced back as far as 700AD, when ownership passed on to the Bishop of Waldhere, and was the main residence of the Bishop of London from the eighteenth century until 1973. It is accessed from Fulham Palace Road close to the northern end of Putney Bridge. Part of the Palace grounds were converted in allotments during World War II and they have remained in use since then allowing local people to grow their own vegetables, fruit and flowers. The grounds are open to the public daily.

During the 17th century Bishop Compton imported several new plant species to the gardens at Fulham Palace and cultivated some flora and fauna found in Britain today- including the Magnolia. Many of the trees in and around Fulham Palace remain from this time and visitors can still see the herb garden and Wisteria which survive in the Palace's walled gardens.

The grounds originally covered more than thirty acres- though only twelve remain property of the Palace. The Palace also boasts the longest moat in England.

Reecent excavations have revealed the remains of several former large scale buildings and even evidence of Neolithic and Roman settlements. The Museum of Fulham Palace partially occupies Bishop Howley's Dining Room and the Porteus Library (named after Bishop Beilby Porteus, 1731–1809), in the early 19th century part of the Palace. It contains some of the paintings that once hung in the building, stained glass, ornate masonry and the bishop's cope, as well as displays describing the Palace's history.

The Palace is currently (2006) undergoing extensive refurbishment, and can only be vistied on weekends while the building works are under way. The Gardens are open all week, but dogs and ball games are not allowed. When open, there are scheduled tours of the grounds and building, including three additional rooms, several times a month. Additionally, private tours may be booked for groups of visitors.