The Bishop's Eye, Wells
Encyclopedia
The Bishop's Eye in Wells
, Somerset
, England is an entrance gateway into a walled precinct, the Liberty
of St Andrew, which encloses the twelfth century Cathedral
, the Bishop's Palace
, Vicar's Close
and the residences of the clergy who serve the cathedral.
The Bishop's Eye was built around 1450, by Bishop Thomas Beckington
(also spelt Beckyngton), and provides the entrance to the Bishop's Place It forms one of a pair with the Penniless Porch
which formed the gateway into the Cathedral from the market place.
It is a three storey building of Doulting
ashlar stone, with a copper roof and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.
Wells
Wells is a cathedral city and civil parish in the Mendip district of Somerset, England, on the southern edge of the Mendip Hills. Although the population recorded in the 2001 census is 10,406, it has had city status since 1205...
, Somerset
Somerset
The ceremonial and non-metropolitan county of Somerset in South West England borders Bristol and Gloucestershire to the north, Wiltshire to the east, Dorset to the south-east, and Devon to the south-west. It is partly bounded to the north and west by the Bristol Channel and the estuary of the...
, England is an entrance gateway into a walled precinct, the Liberty
Liberty (division)
Originating in the Middle Ages, a liberty was traditionally defined as an area in which regalian rights were revoked and where land was held by a mesne lord...
of St Andrew, which encloses the twelfth century Cathedral
Wells Cathedral
Wells Cathedral is a Church of England cathedral in Wells, Somerset, England. It is the seat of the Bishop of Bath and Wells, who lives at the adjacent Bishop's Palace....
, the Bishop's Palace
Bishop's Palace, Wells
The Bishop's Palace, Wells, Somerset, England, is adjacent to Wells Cathedral and has been the home of the Bishops of the Diocese of Bath and Wells for 800 years....
, Vicar's Close
Vicars' Close, Wells
Vicars' Close, in Wells, Somerset, England is claimed to be the oldest purely residential street with its original buildings all surviving intact in Europe.John Julius Norwich calls it "that rarest of survivals, a planned street of the mid-14th century"....
and the residences of the clergy who serve the cathedral.
The Bishop's Eye was built around 1450, by Bishop Thomas Beckington
Thomas Beckington
Thomas Beckington was the Bishop of Bath and Wells and King's Secretary in medieval England.-Life:...
(also spelt Beckyngton), and provides the entrance to the Bishop's Place It forms one of a pair with the Penniless Porch
Penniless Porch, Wells
The Penniless Porch in Wells, Somerset, England is an entrance gateway into a walled precinct, the Liberty of St Andrew, which encloses the twelfth century Cathedral, the Bishop's Palace, Vicar's Close and the residences of the clergy who serve the cathedral....
which formed the gateway into the Cathedral from the market place.
It is a three storey building of Doulting
Doulting Stone Quarry
Doulting Stone Quarry is a limestone quarry at Doulting, on the Mendip Hills, Somerset, England.At Present there are only three quarries in the country quarrying Doulting stone. The Largest has been producing stone since Roman times....
ashlar stone, with a copper roof and has been designated as a Grade I listed building.