Second Church Estates Commissioner, Rt Hon Sir Tony Baldry MP, answered three written questions from Tessa Munt MP on the Church Commissioners plans for the Palace at Wells.
Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official report, column 317W on Bishop of Bath and Wells, in relation to the Bishop’s living accommodation, what repairs or maintenance were identified in the Church Commissioners Quinquennial Review dated 2013.
Sir Tony Baldry: The reason for moving the Bishop’s accommodation is to give the Bishop more privacy and not to do with the cost of repairs and restoration to the flat. A considerable amount of the Palace at Wells is currently open to the public and little private space is available for the Bishop or his family. The Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Bishop of Taunton will continue to use the Palace on a daily basis as their office and to worship and pray in the chapel.
In addition to our original answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 317W, please find as follows some examples of the types of ongoing work needed on the Palace building and surrounding complex, including the areas used by the Bishops as their private accommodation. Repointing of the palace, internal modernisation and refurbishment, rewiring, stabilisation of the ruins of the great hall, roof repairs, repointing of the chimneys, replacing the boiler, water tanks and pipework, installation of a new heating system, upgrading the electrical supply, and works to the kitchen and bathrooms.
Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, pursuant to the answer of 23 January 2014, Official Report, column 316W on Bishop of Bath and Wells, if he will provide full details of every heirloom of the See in relation to the Bishop’s Palace at Wells; and if he will publish an inventory of the heirlooms of the Holy See in that Palace.
Sir Tony Baldry: The last inventory of the Palace was undertaken in 2007. It is not possible to transcribe the inventory due to the disproportionate cost involved and the length of the document. The Palace Trust, who manage the public rooms of the Palace, are currently lent the ‘heirlooms’ of the See by the Church Commissioners to display. The Church Commissioners intend that these robes, objects, paintings and furniture will continue to remain at the Palace and will remain on public view.
Tessa Munt: To ask the right hon. Member for Banbury, representing the Church Commissioners, for what reasons the Church Commissioners found the previous Bishop’s accommodation at the Bishop’s Palace at Wells to be unsuitable for the new Bishop and his wife.
Sir Tony Baldry: The Commissioners considered that moving the Bishop’s accommodation would give the Bishop more privacy. Their decision did not relate to the cost of repairs and restoration to the flat. A considerable amount of the Palace at Wells is currently open to the public and little private space is available for the Bishop or his family. The Bishop of Bath and Wells and the Bishop of Taunton will continue to use the Palace on a daily basis as their office and worship and pray in the chapel.
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