IT WAS once a grand residence occupied by the Bishops of Winchester and popular with royalty.

But Bishop's Waltham Palace burned down during the English Civil War and most of the site has remained a picturesque ruin ever since.

Now the removal of ivy and other vegetation has uncovered long lost details of the West Tower and other parts of the historic building.

A spokesperson for English Heritage said it decided to hire specialist contractors to abseil down the walls of the 16m high tower, carefully removing deep-rooted foliage as they went.

The work has revealed the splendour of the ancient building as well as enabling the condition of the site to be improved.

"It's just one the charity’s properties that are undergoing vital conservation work so the historic places in its care can be enjoyed for generations to come," said the spokesperson.

The palace was built by Bishop Henry of Blois, brother of King Stephen, and rebuilt by William of Wykeham between 1378 and 1401.

Popular with royalty it was visited by Henry V and was also used by Mary Tudor just before her marriage to Philip II at Winchester Cathedral. Henry VIII met Emperor Charles V at the palace in 1522.

During the Civil War (1642-1651) the site was occupied by forces loyal to Charles 1.

But the palace was surrendered to a Parliamentarian commander, Major General Sir Thomas Browne, on April 9 1644 after the king's forces were defeated at the Battle of Cheriton nearby. Two days later the building burned down.

The ruins eventually passed to Admiral Cunningham, later Viscount Cunningham of Hyndhope, who was one of Britain's most distinguished naval commanders during the Second World War.

He lived at neighbouring Palace House and returned there when on leave, but Prime Minister Winston Churchill ordered a special telephone line be installed to ensure he could be summoned at short notice.

In 1952 Lord Cunningham transferred the ruins to the Ministry of Works, which stabilised the palace and also uncovered several previously buried structures.

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