The Palace

Detached seven-bay two-storey over half-basement former bishop's palace with dormer attic windows, built 1732, now in use as hotel, having two principal elevations with three-bay breakfronts. Multiple-bay two-storey addition to southwest with two-bay two-storey link to house and with two-bay two-storey and three-bay single-storey additions to northeast. Recent lift tower extension to northeast. Hipped slate roof to main house with brick chimneystacks having decorative brick pilasters and slate-hung lower parts, dressed limestone parapet walls, carved limestone dentillated cornice, cast-iron rainwater goods and having gable-fronted dormer windows to both principal elevations. Flemish bond red brick walls to front elevation with dressed limestone plat-band between floors, sill courses, dressed limestone quoins to ground floor and carved limestone string course above rubble limestone basement walls. Roughly dressed limestone walls to rear and side elevations with similar dressings to front elevation. Timber sliding sash windows throughout, with Serlian windows to front ground floor end bays and square-headed elsewhere. Dormer windows are eight-over-eight pane with slate-hung gables above. Front façade ground and first floor windows are six-over-six pane, first floor having, carved limestone surrounds and ground cornices and ground floor having carved limestone Gibbsian surrounds with carved limestone voussoirs and keystones. Serlian windows have carved limestone Gibbsian surrounds and decorative triple keystones to all lights, carved limestone imposts and traceried fanlights. Rear façade ground and first floors have flush dressed limestone surrounds and lintels to windows, six-over-six pane to first floor and nine-over-nine pane to ground floor. Segmental-arch openings to half-basement with limestone voussoirs and replacement timber windows. Front entrance doorway approached by flight of carved limestone steps with cast-iron railings and comprises timber panelled double-leaf door, spoked fanlight, and doorcase. Latter comprises carved limestone pilasters with carved limestone archivolt and flanked by carved limestone engaged rusticated Ionic columns with carved limestone architrave, fascia and dentillated pediment. Garden façade doorway has flush dressed limestone surround and lintel with square-headed timber panelled double-leaf doors and over-light, approached by sweeping flight of carved limestone steps with cast-iron railings. Link building to southwest has brick walls, flat roof and elliptical-headed opening with render surround and voussoirs and recessed replacement timber door. Northeast additions have pitched artificial slate roofs with roughcast and rubble limestone walls with six-over-six pane sliding sash windows, barred to northernmost building. Building retains many interior features. Forecourt to building has former school and gate lodge facing each other inside entrance gates. Gates comprise carved limestone piers flanking vehicular and pedestrian entrances, with carved limestone caps and plinths and cast-iron gates, latter surviving only to pedestrian entrances. Gardens to rear with specimen eighteenth-century mulberry trees.