Howden Bishop's Manor

The Howden Bishop's Manor (sometimes called a Bishop's Palace) stands a stone's throw from the remains of Howden Minster, just off the market square. The manor was built to provide a residence and administrative centre for the powerful Prince Bishops of Durham, who stayed here on their way between Durham and London.

The Bishop's Manor was built between 1388 and 1405 by Bishop Walter de Skirlaugh, or Skirlaw (d 1406). It was altered in the Tudor period and again in the 18th and 20th centuries. The building is constructed of limestone ashlar, rubble, and brick under a slate roof. It began as an open hall with a screens passage, entered through a porch on the north-west side.

Original features include Bishop Skirlaugh's vaulted entrance porch. Inside the manor are Georgian and Victorian fireplaces and an impressive staircase.

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At least three kings are known to have visited the manor; King John spent the Christmas of 1211 here, and Kings Edward II and Henry V also stayed here.

All that remains of the manor is the great hall, now in private hands, but the exterior can easily be viewed from a footpath which runs right beside the building.