King John's Palace

King John's Palace is a stone building in Norman style from the Middle Ages, consisting of two floors with small defensive openings on the ground level and large windows above. The structure combines practical storage space below with living quarters above, which featured a stone fireplace and solid masonry construction.

The building was constructed in the 1180s as a private residence for a wealthy merchant and stands as one of the city's oldest surviving structures. It was later incorporated into Southampton's defensive fortifications following a French attack in 1338, shifting from a purely domestic role to a strategic position.

The building shows how wealthy merchants lived and worked in medieval port towns, with separate spaces for storage below and living areas above with good light. The layout reveals the daily rhythm of a merchant's life, combining domestic comfort with the practical needs of trade.

The building sits near Blue Anchor Lane in the center of Southampton and is easy to spot while walking through the old town streets. Visitors can view the exterior details at ground level, including the defensive features and window openings that show how the structure was built for multiple purposes.

The west wall retains three original archways that once opened directly onto the medieval waterfront, where ships unloaded merchandise from across Europe. These rare surviving features show the direct link between the merchant's home and the busy port life that defined medieval Southampton.