The excavation of a medieval manor house of the bishops of Winchester at Mount House, Witney, Oxfordshire Oxford Archaeology Thames Valley Landscapes Monograph 13

"In the modem house are still to be seen massive foundations, narrow windows, and
remnants of arches, shewing that a larger edifice once stood upon the spot."
When the Revd. Giles wrote this in 1852, the palace of the Bishops of Winchester was
but a distant memory. So it remained until 1984, when in advance of development, excavations by Oxford Archaeological Unit uncovered the spectacular remains of the medieval palace, including a curtain wall, solar tower, a chapel, a garderobe block and other domestic ranges. In the early 12th Century bishops were as politically powerful as any noble, and the buildings at Witney reflect that power, though developing their own distinctive character. Modified both for comfort and defence in the mid-late 12th
century, expanded in the 13th century and strengthened in the 14th century, the development of the palace reflected the political and economic fortunes of the Church
and the area itself.
The combination of a detailed documentary history and remarkably well preserved
remains have meant that the story of one of the earliest and most substantial Norman
episcopal residences in the country has been vividly brought to life in this volume