London has more historic palaces than many people realize. Some are amongst the most recognizable buildings in the world, while others are overlooked, tucked away in neighborhoods that attract few tourists. Fulham Palace, home to the Bishops of London since the 8th century, is certainly one of the latter. It sits, largely hidden from view and bordered by a busy road and the riverbank, in an affluent residential area. I’ve often wondered how many drivers, stuck in traffic on their way to and from Hammersmith and Putney, are aware of the little gem just behind the trees.

The palace itself has been much modified over the centuries. The various bishops who called the place home seemed to like re-modelling and tinkering, so what’s left today is something of a patchwork of styles. The oldest surviving part of the palace is the pretty redbrick Tudor courtyard that dates back to 1495. The grounds and gardens (13 acres in all) are lovely and attract local residents on sunny days, many of whom may never have set foot in the palace itself. Bishop Compton (17th century) and Bishop Terrick (18th century) were celebrated botanists and filled the grounds with rare and exotic plants and trees, many of which survive to this day.

Although the pandemic has closed the palace’s interior to visitors for the time being (it’s expected to re-open at some point in July 2021), the gardens are open. If the sun is shining, as it was when I was there recently, take a picnic and enjoy one of London’s hidden oases of tranquility.