The Bishop's Palace in Paignton was the manorial centre and occasional residence of the bishops of Exeter in the town from the 11th century until the early 16th century. The remains of the palace stand beside the parish church of St John the Baptist. The site is defined as a scheduled monument by Historic England,[1] with the standing medieval walls and the C14th Century corner tower, sometimes called Coverdale's Tower, being Listed Grade II*.[2] Within the walls are the fragmentary remnants of the palace chapel (Listed Grade II) along with a Grade II Listed[3] vicarage of the 20th Century.
| Bishop's Palace, Paignton | |
|---|---|
 Boundary Wall and Coverdale's Tower | |
  Location of Bishop's Palace, Paignton in Devon | |
| 50°26′10″N 3°34′11″W / 50.436126°N 3.569812°W | |
| Type | Bishop's Palace |
| Location | Paignton |
| Site notes | |
| Area | Devon |
| Designated | 22 Nov 1950 |
| Reference no. | 1020764 |
The palace was originally surrounded by a private deer park. The name "Coverdale's Tower" arose from the erroneous idea that the tower was associated with the English Reformation theologian Myles Coverdale. It has sometimes also been called the "Bible Tower". In the nineteenth century the tower was restored and the quadrangle within the palace walls was laid out with tennis courts.[4]
References
edit- ↑ "The Bishop's Palace, Tower Road, Torbay - 1020764". Historic England. Retrieved 7 April 2026.
- ↑ "Bishops Palace Walls and Tower, Torbay - 1208109 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ↑ "The Vicarage, Torbay - 1208129 | Historic England". historicengland.org.uk. Retrieved 24 April 2020.
- ↑ Thomas, W Eliot (1895). Guide to Paignton and handbook to Torbay and district. W.A. Axworthy. p. 7.
 | This article about a British religious building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |
 | This article about a Devon building or structure is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by adding missing information. |