Help Restore the Oldest Parts of Fulham Palace

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Local people invited to volunteer and support major project

Fulham Palace has launched a campaign to raise the remaining funds needed to launch its planned restoration project, called Discovering the Bishop of London’s Palace at Fulham.

The three year long project will cost £3.8 million and will focus on increasing visitor access to the oldest parts of the Palace and reflecting the historic importance of the site, which was home to the Bishops of London.

Key rooms in the Grade I listed Tudor Quadrangle, which dates to around 1500 AD, will be restored and opened to the public for the first time. A new exhibition space will be created, historic rooms will be dressed with objects and paintings, and innovative interpretation will offer an insight into over 1,300 years of British history, told through the personal stories of the Bishops of London.

The project was awarded a grant of £1.88 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund in December, and Fulham Palace Trust has been match-funding for the other half of the money. The trusts says 90% has now been raised, with a gap of around £370,000 still to be found.

Local people are being invited to support the project in a number of ways, including making a donation, joining the Patron and Friends of Fulham Palace membership schemes and becoming a volunteer.

Over 130 new volunteer roles will be created as a part of the project, ranging from participation in the palace's Youth Forum, undertaking research, working on archaeological digs and facilitating education sessions.

To reflect the importance of the site as a Grade II* listed botanical garden, new historic plant beds will be created with emphasis placed on the collections amassed by Bishop Compton, an enthusiastic plant and seed collector during this tenure at the Palace in the 17th century.

The project will also provide opportunities for training, learning, volunteering and employment for the local community. Work onsite is scheduled to begin in November and the site will remain open during the project.

As part of the project, there will be a number of events taking place, including:
hard-hat tours of the site
community archaeological digs
educational activities
lectures and talks

Sian Harrington, Chief Executive of Fulham Palace Trust, says: " It is a very exciting time for Fulham Palace. The Palace building and gardens will be transformed over the next three years and we look forward to involving our local community every step of the way. We couldn’t do it without their support and we are very grateful for all contributions to the project."

Find out more at Fulham Palace's website.

 

April 6, 2017