The Bishop’s Palace, Ely was one of the residences of the Bishop of Ely from the 15th century until 1941. It is a Grade I listed building.^[1]

The palace was built in the 15th century by Bishop John Alcock however just two towers from the original building remain. He also completed the bishop’s palace (now Wisbech Castle) at Wisbech (where he died in 1500). Bishops over the following centuries expanded and remodelled the palace.^[1]

In 1541, King Henry VIII founded a College of Canons at Ely Cathedral to replace the monks whose monastery had been dissolved in 1539

The Bishop’s Palace at Ely was used as a prison for Catholics between 1577 and 1597, and between 1588 and 1597 was exclusively a prison for lay recusants. Its inmates included Abbot John Feckenham between 1577 and 1580 and Thomas Tresham, who was imprisoned in Ely four times.

This picture is in the Henry VIII Banqueting Hall at Leeds Castle. The hall was created for the visit of Catherine of Aragon on 22nd May, 1520 when he was on route  for Dover to embark for Henry’s historic meeting with Francis I of France, known as the Field of the Cloth of Gold.

Fashion has certainly changed a lot since Henry’s day

For more of this weeks PhotoHunt pictures check out tnchick.