Hampton Court Palace

Hampton Court Palace is a very important old building in England, located in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames, about 12 miles from central London on the River Thames. It was first built in 1514 for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who helped King Henry VIII and was the Archbishop of York. When Wolsey lost the king's favor in 1529, he gave the palace to Henry VIII, who made it one of his favorite homes and made it bigger.

Later, in the early 1690s, King William III and his wife Queen Mary II started to rebuild and expand the palace, hoping to make it as grand as the Palace of Versailles. This work stopped in 1694, leaving the palace with two different styles: the older Tudor style and the newer Baroque style. Even though the styles are different, the palace looks united because of the pink bricks used and the balanced design of its wings.

Today, Hampton Court Palace is cared for by the charity Historic Royal Palaces and is open to visitors. The palace shows art from the Royal Collection, and its gardens include the famous Hampton Court Maze, a royal tennis court, and the world's largest grape vine as of 2005. The Home Park of the palace hosts the annual Hampton Court Palace Festival and Hampton Court Garden Festival.

History

Medieval

Hampton Court Palace started as a place owned by the Order of St John of Jerusalem. It was first rented to John Wode and later to Sir Giles Daubeney in 1494. Daubeney made the buildings bigger, creating the Great Kitchens that are still there today. After Daubeney died, the palace was given to Thomas Wolsey in 1514.

Tudor times

Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York and an important advisor to King Henry VIII, started building Hampton Court Palace in 1514. He spent a lot of money to make it one of the best palaces in England. Wolsey lived there for several years until he gave the palace to King Henry VIII in 1529.

After getting the palace, Henry VIII made it bigger for his big court. He added a Great Hall and a Royal Tennis Court. The palace became a place for important events, including the birth of Henry’s son Edward VI in 1537. The palace also had an impressive astronomical clock put in in 1540.

Stuarts and early Hanoverians

After Queen Elizabeth I, the palace was used by King James I and later by King Charles I. During this time, the palace was changed with beautiful gardens and artwork. Later kings and queens, including William III and Mary II, kept making changes to the palace.

Later use

Since the time of King George II, no king or queen has lived at Hampton Court Palace. The palace became a place for retired workers of the Crown to live. In the 19th century, the palace was opened to the public and became a popular place for people to visit.

In 1952, the palace was officially protected as an important historic building. A big fire in 1986 caused damage, but the palace was fixed by 1990. Today, Hampton Court Palace is still a popular place to visit and learn about history.

21st century

In recent years, the palace has hosted special events, including a performance in 2009 and a cycling event during the 2012 Summer Olympics. In 2015, the palace celebrated the 500th anniversary of its construction.

Contents

See also: List of works of art at Hampton Court Palace

The palace has many artworks and pieces from the Royal Collection, from two important times: the early Tudor (Renaissance) and the late Stuart to early Georgian period. In September 2015, the Royal Collection listed 542 works at Hampton Court, including paintings, furniture, ceramics, and sculptures. The most famous piece is Andrea Mantegna's Triumphs of Caesar, located in the Lower Orangery. The palace once showed the Raphael Cartoons, which are now at the Victoria and Albert Museum. Copies of these cartoons painted in the 1690s by Henry Cooke are shown instead.

The palace also has important collections of ceramics, such as blue and white porcelain collected by Queen Mary II, including Chinese pieces and Delftware. Much of the original furniture dates from the late 1600s and early 1700s, with tables, chairs, clocks, and more. Some state beds are still in their original spots, along with a Throne Canopy in the King's Privy Chamber, which also has a crystal chandelier that may be the first of its kind in the country.

The King's Guard Chamber shows many historic weapons, such as muskets, pistols, swords, and armor, arranged in beautiful patterns on the walls. The palace holds most of the Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection, with over 10,000 items including clothing, sketches, letters, and photographs, and this collection has special status from Arts Council England.

The Chapel

Main article: Chapel Royal, Hampton Court

The chapel at Hampton Court Palace has a beautiful wooden and plaster ceiling. It is one of the most important in Britain and the only original Tudor decoration still there today. The altar has a large wooden piece with carvings made by Grinling Gibbons when Queen Anne was ruler. Across from the altar is the royal pew, where the royal family would sit during services.

The Chapel Royal is the group of clergy, musicians, and church workers for the monarch at Hampton Court and other royal places in England. The name refers to the group, not the building.

Grounds

The grounds of Hampton Court Palace were designed in the late 1600s. Today, visitors can see a small garden that looks like the gardens from the 1500s. One special feature is a long canal called the Long Water, built in 1662. This canal was inspired by the famous gardens of Versailles in France.

Near the palace, there is a pretty garden called the Privy Garden, with neatly trimmed plants and paths. There is also a small building called the Banqueting House, used for special outdoor meals. A famous part of the grounds is the Hampton Court Maze, planted in the 1690s. It’s fun to walk through its twisty paths.

King's Beasts

Main article: King's Beasts, Hampton Court Palace

Ten special statues called the King's Beasts stand near the main entrance of the palace. These statues show animals that represent King Henry VIII and his wife Jane Seymour. They include a lion, a dragon, and other historic symbols. In 2009, a new garden was created with smaller wooden versions of these statues.

Cultural appearances and influence

Florham, United States

The Vanderbilt family built a big home called Florham in Madison, New Jersey. They made it look like Hampton Court Palace. This home was built in 1893 for Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly and Hamilton McKown Twombly. The architects were McKim, Mead & White.

Film location

Hampton Court Palace is often used for movies and TV shows. Some of these are The Private Life of Henry VIII, Three Men In A Boat, A Man For All Seasons, Vanity Fair, Little Dorrit, John Adams, The Young Victoria, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows, The Theory of Everything, Cinderella, Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again!, The Favourite, Belgravia, The Great, and Bridgerton. The palace was also used in the TV series Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, and for scenes in The Sandman and Renegade Nell.

Poetry

Lydia Sigourney wrote a poem called Hampton Court about visiting the palace. She wrote it after a wedding in March 1841. The poem was in her book Pleasant Memories of Pleasant Lands in 1842.