This land of 50 hides

Description

The ‘land of 50 hides’ in the title of this volume were transferred by Tyrhtel, Bishop of Hereford, to Wealdhere, Bishop of London, between 704 and 709. Part of this land was to develop into the Fulham Palace site, remaining a residence of the Bishops of London until 1973. This volume, a collaboration between Fulham Palace Trust and Pre-Construct Archaeology, brings together archaeological, cartographic, botanical and historical evidence to present the narrative of this incredible site.
From its origins as an eyot subject to late Mesolithic to early Neolithic visitation, Fulham Palace has produced one of the largest struck flint assemblages from urban London. A late Roman settlement developed alongside the crossing point across the River Thames to Putney, whilst early Saxon evidence points to the significance of the Thames as an arterial route. Differing opinions on the arrival of Viking raiders are presented in this volume, along with evidence for the development of England’s longest domestic moat.
During the Saxo-Norman period the site developed as an estate, with further expansions in the 13th century and the construction of the Palace’s Tudor court in the late 15th century. The Palace gardens, first established in the 16th century, make Fulham home to London’s second oldest botanic garden and the Palace’s 500-year-old holm oak is one of the Great Trees of London. Enthusiastic botanical Bishops such as Grindal and Compton resulted in the Palace’s grounds being used to grow rare non-native specimens, illustrated in contemporary manuscripts. The complexities of the Reformation and the Civil War are explored, whilst architectural developments of the late 18th and 19th centuries are brought to life by contemporary plans and watercolours. A consideration of the role of the Bishops of London in the ‘colonies’ concludes this significant volume.