Tea at the Bishop Lloyd’s Palace

The Chester Civic Trust, which celebrates its 66th year this year, is opening its HQ Bishop Lloyd’s Palace to visitors during the national Heritage Open Days festival on Saturday, 12th September between 10am and 4pm.

Volunteers will be on hand to point out the superb features of this Grade I listed historic building in Watergate Street on Chester Rows and provide tea, coffee and refreshments.

Bishops Lloyd Palace is considered by many architects to be the most beautiful building in Chester, remarkable because it dates from the 17th century with foundation stones from the 13th & 14th century. It was originally two buildings converted into one dwelling and incorporated into the famous South Rows on Watergate Street.

It has been associated with Chester Merchant Adventurers, a king’s ex-mistress, a coaching firm, a girls’ school, a pub and a cheesemaker. These days it is available to hire and can be booked as a hospitality and meetings venue or by community groups and businesses.

The three reception chambers will also be on show, with their Jacobean plasterwork and two intriguing fireplaces.

Refreshments will be served for which a small cash donation to charity would be appreciated.

Leaflets will be available and Chester Civic Trust members will be present to answer any questions.

More details at: 

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk/submission-event/bishop-lloyd-s-palace-open.html 

Bishop Lloyd's Palace is accessed from Row level, next to Rainforest.

The Civic Trust is a registered charity set up to promote high standards of architecture in Chester, as well as helping to secure the preservation and protection of features of historic or public interest in the City of Chester.

The inaugural meeting of Chester Civic Trust was held on the 7th January 1960 in the Blossoms Hotel. A group of concerned local residents had held a series of informal meetings during 1959 to discuss the major changes that were proposed for Chester. These included the construction of the Inner Ring Road, the demolition of the 1862 Market Hall, the development of the Grosvenor Precinct and the disrepair of many historic buildings in Lower Bridge Street and King Street.

Over the ensuing 66 years, the Trust has continued to be an influential voice in Chester with over 400 individual members and 20 corporate sponsors lobbying for high standards of design in new developments, the protection of both the natural and built environment and the preservation and sympathetic re-use of historic buildings.

The opening of Bishop Lloyd’s Palace is part of Heritage Open Days 2026 (HODs) - 11th-20th September - England's largest community led festival of history and culture where each September thousands of volunteers across England organise events to celebrate history and culture. Visitors can see hidden places and try out new experiences – all of which are FREE to explore.

More information at: 

https://www.heritageopendays.org.uk 

...which currently lists 38 Chester events and 136 openings and events across Cheshire.

Pictured - Bishop Lloyd’s Palace.