Mercantilism, Colonialism and the Bishops of London
Fulham Palace lecture explores the uncomfortable history of Britain's global trade
What did the Bishops of London have to do with Britain’s colonial past?
October 12, 2026
Fulham Palace’s Black History 365 programme continues this autumn with a searching and historically grounded lecture examining the role of the Bishops of London in Britain’s colonial past. Led by community archaeologist Alexis Haslam, the talk explores how the rise of mercantilism and the expansion of global trade between the late 16th and 18th centuries reshaped British society — and how senior church figures, including the Bishops of London, were woven into the systems that enabled and profited from that expansion.
During this period, Britain’s commercial reach grew dramatically. Merchant companies, chartered corporations and livery guilds became central to the nation’s wealth, driving trade across the Atlantic, Africa and Asia. But this economic transformation came at a profound human cost: the forced movement and enslavement of millions of Africans, the violent reshaping of societies, and the creation of global systems built on exploitation.
Haslam’s lecture traces the connections between the Bishops of London and these wider commercial networks. As senior figures in the Church of England — an institution deeply entangled with political power, land ownership and governance — the bishops often held positions that intersected with mercantile interests. Some acted as patrons or overseers of livery companies; others were involved in the administration of overseas territories or missionary activity that operated alongside, and sometimes in support of, colonial expansion.
By examining these links, the lecture invites audiences to consider how the bishops’ influence extended far beyond Fulham Palace’s gardens and chapels. Their decisions, alliances and investments formed part of the machinery that enabled Britain’s global reach, including the transportation of enslaved Africans and the economic systems that sustained the transatlantic slave trade. Haslam’s work highlights how these histories shaped the lives of the people who lived at Fulham Palace — from bishops and stewards to servants and labourers — and how the legacy of colonialism remains embedded in the site’s long story.
The talk takes place on Wednesday 14 October from 12 to 1pm in Bishop Terrick's drawing room. There is no charge but donations are gladly accepted.
Alexis Haslam joined Fulham Palace Trust in 2017 and has spent years researching the Palace’s complex past. A community archaeologist with a BA in History and membership of the Institute for Archaeologists, he began his career in 2000, rising from field technician to project officer during 16 years at Pre-Construct Archaeology. He has directed and published numerous excavations, including Tales from the Vaults and Newington Horror Stories, and recently brought together decades of research in his book This Land of 50 Hides: A History of Fulham Palace.
His work at Fulham Palace has helped illuminate the site’s deep connections to national and global histories — including those that challenge comfortable narratives and demand a fuller, more honest understanding of the past.
Fulham Palace is at Bishop’s Avenue, SW6 6EA
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