Lydstep Palace

Description

Lydstep Palace is a ruinous medieval hall house. Believed to have been built in the late 14th century or 15th century, the building was constructed from limestone and built in two levels, the upper floor containing a hall and the lower floor consisting of several barrel vaulted rooms, likely cellars. The two floors were not connected internally, only by external stone stairs. Speculation as to the purpose of the house varies, some sources attribute the building as a court of the Manor of Manorbier and Penally, but it has also been referred to as a hunting lodge of the Bishop Gower of St. Davids.

The house was traditionally known as the Place of Arms, and it is speculated that this became mutated to the Palace of Arms, leading to its current name of the Palace. The building is also referred to as The Old Palace.