Month: September 2012

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Publication of A History of the Bishop’s Palace at Ely

Today is the official publication date of A History of the Bishop’s Palace at Ely: Prelates and Prisoners which has been published by the Ely Society with the support of King’s Ely. The book marks the re-opening of the Old Bishop’s Palace in September 2012 after its acquisition by King’s Ely in January 2010.

The book tells the story of the Bishop’s Palace from 1486, when the East Tower was built by Bishop Alcock, to the present day, and traces the transformation of a mediaeval palace into the form of an 18th century country house.

On Wednesday 10th October I shall be speaking to the Ely Society about the history of the Palace, and on Friday 12th October I shall be signing copies of the book in the Palace itself. The book is on sale in Ely bookshops Topping and Co., Burrow’s, the Cathedral Shop and Ely Tourist Information Centre (Oliver Cromwell’s House) for £3.99.

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Jacket Design for English Catholics and the Supernatural

Ashgate’s cover design for English Catholics and the Supernatural, to be published on 28 February 2013, has been released. The image on the cover is Rushton Triangular Lodge, built by Sir Thomas Tresham in 1593 following an experience during his imprisonment at the Bishop’s Palace in Ely. Tresham and a servant heard three loud raps on the inside of a skirting board whilst reading a devotional work on the Trinity. Tresham, who was obsessed with numerology, interpreted this as a sign that he should build a structure honouring the Trinity (see the section in Chapter 1 on ‘Mystical Recusancy’ for more on this story.