Development Project Progress Report for
The Pilgrim Trust (June 2011)
Transforming the Bishop’s Palace
The following report provides an update on how the Bishop’s Palace Development project is progressing.
Building Work
Work on site began in earnest back in November 2010, following a visit by HRH The Earl of Wessex, Patron of
the Bishop’s Palace Appeal, for the official ‘Ground Breaking’ ceremony. Since then the contractors have been
busy laying the foundations of the building work that will see some dramatic changes to the site.
The construction of the new café, ticket
office and shop is well under way. Cement
for the foundations was piped in over the
drawbridge of the 800 year old site and
has been laid. The sweet chestnut frame
of the building was erected in March, and
the roof decking has also just been
installed. The copper roofing will be laid
any day now.
Figure 1: Foundations are laid for the new cafe
Work on the Old Stable Yard has also
commenced and the new activity and
education space will be complete and
ready to host our new Learning and
Community programme from
October 2011.
Uncovering the past and delaying the future!
It has been a fascinating time for the archaeologists on site as they have uncovered many items that have
helped us to understand the history of the Palace. Most recently we have discovered a medieval stone well in
the Stable Yard. We have also been able to reconcile etchings from the 18th century with previously
uncovered building foundations. And we are currently attempting to date stone flooring which is thought to
date back to the time of the Great Hall’s construction in the 13th century.
Unfortunately the range and nature of the archaeology being uncovered has meant that building work has
been delayed by nine weeks. The most significant delay is the delivery of the café which is now expected to be
open to the public towards the end of October. However we have been able to agree that some build items
can be brought forward from the original programme.
Developing the Gardens
Our Head Gardener, James Cross is leading on the recruitment and appointment of our new Community
Gardener and the Apprentice Gardener, which are the last vacancies to fill. We hope to have both in post by
July so that work can commence on the development of the Community Garden. Our new Community
Garden will continue the tradition of offering a productive space for local people to grow food and plants but
will also be a therapeutic environment for the volunteers and groups that work within it. In particular the
Garden will benefit local people who are from disadvantaged groups. Work on the Community building
should be complete by October 2011.
Work has been brought forward on improving access to previously unexplored areas of the 14 acres of
grounds, meaning that work on the Inner Gardens has already begun. The paths are currently being restored
and resurfaced and will shortly be complete ahead of schedule. Work on the Outer Gardens will take place
during September and October 2011. Construction of the new gardener’s greenhouse in the arboretum has
also begun and is scheduled for completion in August 2011. The enhancements to Palace Green will begin in
March 2012 and will be the last areas of work that we complete.
Engaging Volunteers
Thanks to our Volunteer Coordinator, who has been in post since the start of the project, we now have 250+
dedicated volunteers supporting the Bishop’s Palace and taking on a wide range of roles. From Welcomers,
Stewards and Guides to gardeners, flower arrangers and archivists, these individuals are very much the
lifeblood of the Bishop’s Palace and allow us to progress at pace with the development project.
A team of volunteers have been busy researching our new ‘water tours’, which will tell visitors the story of
how water has shaped the city. Another team of 15 have also been working with churches across the diocese
to develop the new ‘Treasure’ exhibition that will open in May 2012.
During 2009 and 2010, we calculated that the
hours contributed by our volunteers was worth
£100,000 and means that we are well on target
to meet and surpass our target of £145,050 by
March 2013. This is a significant amount of
money that demonstrates the vital role that the
Volunteer Co-ordinator has played in not only
recruiting new volunteers, but ensuring that
they remain motivated and loyal to the work of
the Bishop’s Palace.
The appointment of a dedicated Volunteer
Coordinator has transformed volunteering at
Figure 2: Our volunteers undertaking training and development
the Bishop’s Palace. Not only do we have a
formal framework for recruitment but we are also focused on streamlining our volunteer management so that
more time can be spent on developing the programme and retaining volunteers. This has led to the
introduction of new models of volunteering and a higher level of induction and training. In addition the profile
and quality of volunteering has risen externally making the Bishop’s Palace a destination for individuals
proactively seeking engagement and lifelong learning opportunities.
Learning & Community programme
Helen Horler is our new Learning & Community Manager who was recruited in March 2011. Helen has been
busy developing the strategy for engaging with the wider community, especially schools, families and local
people. Helen is currently updating the Learning Policy in line with best practice and will be leading on the
development of formal learning activities at the Bishop’s Palace.
An evaluation of the informal learning programme to date has been collated by a heritage consultant (pro
bono) for the team. This has been especially helpful in shaping future programmes. Helen has created an
outline for the holiday activities this year and has worked hard on developing the new Dragon Hunt children’s
trail. During July a large willow dragon will be installed by a local artist in the arboretum which will form the
focus of the trail. At Easter our Family Activity day attracted 77 children, a record achievement for the
Bishop’s Palace! During 2011 a series of new learning activities will be trialled. These include:
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In June we will be introducing the ‘Adventures of Maisie’ – the story of the Palace cat!
In August we will be trialling a new family activity called ‘Shields, Symbols and Animals’
In October we will have a professional story teller to support our involvement in ‘The Big Draw’
Figure 3: Children enjoying our latest family activity day
The Interior of the Palace
Work on the lift, to provide disabled visitors access to the second floor is scheduled to start in July 2011 and
will take 16 weeks to complete, meaning that it will be ready by the end of October. Once the new café is
finished in October, the Undercroft will be freed up as the current restaurant, and work will commence on the
main building. The interior of the Palace will be closed between November 2011 to May 2012 when the
Undercroft will be stripped back to its original medieval status, providing a stunning focus for visitors to
explore the history of the Palace and site.
Church Treasures
As outlined in our Grant Report (May 2011) our Collections Manager (which was funded by the Pilgrim Trust)
has had a significant impact on the co-ordination of the Church Treasures
project. The Exhibition scheduled for the spring of 2012 will be a unique
collection of treasures owned by the 500 churches from across the Diocese of
Bath & Wells, never seen before as a collection in the South West.
The Collections Manager has also taken on responsibility for the Palace
Collection. This has involved initiating a volunteer project to catalogue and
photograph the collection, setting up pest management, condition and
environmental monitoring systems at the Bishops Palace to ensure the future
wellbeing and conservation of the Collection. The Collections Manager is also
compiling documents such as the Acquisition and Disposals policy so that the
Bishop’s Palace can apply for Museums Accreditation.
Figure 4: Just one of the Palace's many treasures
This has all resulted in an increased understanding of the role of
the Bishop’s Palace and interpretation of its heritage and a better understanding of the Collection and how to
look after it so that future generations can appreciate, enjoy and learn from these historically important
items.
Interpretation and Branding
New brand guidelines and a new marque have been designed for the Palace. The new marque can be found
at the front of this document. The new brand will be rolled out on all our publicity material and signage from
April 2012. In addition we are working on the content for brand new audio and multimedia tours which will
enhance the visitor experience and ensure that everyone can fully understand and interpret the heritage of
the site. Work is well underway on designing new signage and interpretation materials that will enhance the
visitor experience and enable them to understand the historic context of the Palace and its role today.
New staff
Sarah Moore has been appointed as Business Manager (Visitor Services) and joined us on 11th April. Sarah has
already made a significant impact on our marketing reach, with heightened exposure in press and broadcast
media as well as through social media channels – a brand new venture for the 800 year old Palace. Moira
Anderson was appointed as the Administrator and started on 4th April and catering staff transferred across to
our new caterers Harbour & Jones’ employment on 28th March.
Achieving a sustainable future
A new Fundraising Manager, Joanna Hall started in post in February 2011, which was a condition of the
development project. Joanna’s role is to help generate new income streams for the charity and to focus on
revenue fundraising, so that we can build on the momentum generated by the development project and
ensure the future sustainability of the Palace. Joanna is your new point of contact at the Bishop’s Palace in
relation to how you have given support in the past and how you may get involved in the future.
Contact Details
Joanna Hall (Fundraising Manager) 01749 988 111 ext 204, [email protected]
Sarah Duthie (General Manager) 01749 988 111 ext 201, [email protected]