Do you know Fulham's best kept secret?

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Hammersmith and Fulham's best kept secret will take its first step towards becoming one of London's most treasured public sites, as £3.5 million of improvement works are launched on Tuesday 27 September.

Fulham Palace has until now been enjoyed only by the lucky few who managed to find it tucked away in Bishops Park, but this is set to change thanks to a major refurbishment which has been paid for by The Heritage Lottery Fund, the council and the Fulham Palace Trust.

The Bishop of London, the Rt Revd and Rt Hon Richard Chartres, will officially launch the works on the 27th, at a mayoral reception to celebrate the start of the refurbishment. The Bishop's predecessors used the palace as their country residence for 1300 years.

Improvements to the Georgian eastern quadrangle began in August, and are due to be completed in autumn 2006. When they reopen, the renovated wings will house the museum and also provide an exciting new space for cultural events as well as a local venue for weddings and functions. The upper floors will be rented out for offices which will generate essential income for the palace.

A second bid for funding to improve the west quadrangle, vinery, walled garden, stables, lodges and grounds will be submitted to the Heritage Lottery Fund later in the year.

The site was first acquired by Bishop Waldhere in 704 and continued as a residence of the Bishops of London until the 1970s. Hammersmith Council took on the lease of the palace in 1973 when it was vacated by the Bishops so that it could be used as a community resource. Despite its best efforts, until now the council has been unable to fully regenerate the site and unlock its remarkable potential.

Councillor Michael Cartwright, cabinet member for the environment, said:

"Fulham Palace is a stunning public attraction on the Thames which really has to be seen to be believed. Although well-loved by the few people who have discovered its charms the palace has remained something of a hidden gem for many years, and we are delighted that this is set to change.

"Thanks to this funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund, our ambitions for the palace can become a reality. I firmly believe that Fulham Palace has the potential to be one of London's best-loved and most visited historical sites, and this first phase of works will bring us much closer to achieving this goal."

 

September 26, 2005