April towers

Enjoy a glimpse at the SW6 of yesteryear with a visit to Fulham Palace, says Sara Firth

Above: Fulham Palace by Charlie Pinder

Despite having stood its ground for hundreds of years, there are Londoners that do not even know it exists. Fulham Palace – SW6’s best kept secret – is surrounded by 13 acres of greenery, plants and flowers in Bishop’s Park. Not only is it possible to completely forget you are in Fulham, or indeed anywhere in London, whilst at the palace you can quiet easily forget what year – or century – it is. 
A  far cry from the hustle and bustle of Fulham Broadway or Putney Bridge as they stand today, this historical part  of south- west London is well worth a visit.
The site was first acquired by Bishop Waldhere in 1704 and continued as a summer residence of the bishops until 1973.
With the oldest parts of the palace dating back as far as the 15th century, the building forms a fascinating mix of the architectural styles and embellishments of successive bishops. Excavations of the grounds have also uncovered evidence of Neolithic and Roman settlers and the palace museum provides a colour-coded model of the building, helping visitors to identify each architectural era of the palace.       
Those keen to learn about the palace’s intriguing history should head for Bishop Howley’s dining room and the Porteous Library – aptly named after Bishop Porteous – where you can view original paintings, admire the stained glass or take a guided history tour. The tour lasts an hour and takes you to the great hall, the oldest room in the palace, the Georgian dining room, which has a Palladian ceiling, and the Chapel, which although modernised in 1950 has beautiful frescoes painted by Brian Thomas.
For those more interested in the present, a visit to the gardens provides a chance to get back to nature. Once enclosed by the longest moat in England, the gardens were made famous in the 17th century by Bishop Compton, who introduced rare species, such as magnolia, into Europe for the first time.
Visitors can also enjoy the botanic beds, herb garden, a giant oak from 1550 and a wisteria pergola within the old walled garden. Garden walks take place on set dates throughout the month, but the garden is open daily for visitors from dawn to dusk free of charge. Feeling inspired? The Fulham Palace Garden Centre have a team of friendly and knowledgeable staff to help create the garden of your dreams, with all the profits going to the Fairbridge charity.

Fulham Palace, Bishop’s Avenue, Fulham
SW6 6EA; 020 7736 8140; www.fulhampalace.org
Fulham Palace Garden Centre, 020 7736 2640