“The Duke of Norfolk had a palace that was a beautiful and noble structure when it was in its glory, and reputed to have been the largest house in England out of London”
The first place was constructed c.1561 and was referred to as “a capital messuage new built with buildings, courts, orchards, gardens, ponds and vinyards”. It was described as ranged around two or three courtyards, the principal of these with a fountain. The 4th Duke was executed in 1572 for planning to marry Mary Queen of Scots and his palace confiscated, only being returned to the Howard family in 1606. In the early years of the civil war the palace was again seized and the 5th Duke remained abroad until the restoration of the monarchy in 1660. The palace was extensively rebuilt around 1671 and elevation drawings of the new palace made in 1710 depict its Palladian style of architecture, influenced greatly by Clarendon House. By the 1690s the house was already falling into disrepair, its unsuitable foundations already suffering from movement on the soft river muds below. In 1708 the 8th Duke ordered the destruction of the palace which was recorded by Lord William Kingston as “- the worst contrived business that was ever designed”. The palace was demolished over three years with the Duke recouping just £1,900 from the sale of salvaged materials, a sum considerably less than the £30,000 spent on its construction. Only the bowling alley range and some ancillary buildings were left standing into the 19th century with the north end range converted to a workhouse.
The lost medieval lane of Bleckstersole, which once marked the western extent of the Duke of Norfolk’s palace complex, ran from south to north on the eastern side of the site. Any foundations or deposits associated with the palace are likely to be situated along the eastern limit of the Duke's Wharf site. This may include the north-western corner of the 17th century version of the palace, which would consist of large brick and stone foundations as observed in excavations on the eastern side of Duke Street in the area of a multi-storey car-park. Investigation of the street frontage was limited as the frontage is still occupied by extant buildings. However, two trenches were placed in this area, with one smaller trench located inside the existing buildings. Both trenches encountered mortar debris and fragments of building material likely to be sourced from the demolition of the palace, some of which had been utilised in the construction of an 18th century cellar. A single large architectural fragment of decorated stone was recovered; an example of Palladian-style masonry from the visage of the palace.