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 was a close helper to King Henry VIII and the Archbishop of York. When Wolsey lost the king's favor in 1529, he gave the palace to Henry VIII, who then made it one of his favorite homes and expanded it for his many courtiers.

Later, in the early 1690s, King William III and his wife Queen Mary II began 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 very 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 property of the Order of St John of Jerusalem. It was first leased to John Wode and later to Sir Giles Daubeney in 1494. Daubeney expanded the buildings, creating the Great Kitchens that are still there today. After Daubeney’s death, the palace was passed to Thomas Wolsey in 1514.

Tudor times

Thomas Wolsey, Archbishop of York and a key advisor to King Henry VIII, began building Hampton Court Palace in 1514. He spent a large amount of money to make it one of the finest palaces in England. Wolsey lived there for several years until he gave the palace to King Henry VIII in 1529.

After receiving the palace, Henry VIII expanded it to fit his large 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 installed 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 redesigned with beautiful gardens and artwork. Later kings and queens, including William III and Mary II, continued to make changes to the palace.

Later use

Since the time of King George II, no monarch 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 tourist spot.

In 1952, the palace was officially protected as an important historic building. A major fire in 1986 caused damage, but the palace was restored by 1990. Today, Hampton Court Palace remains 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 contains many artworks and furnishings from the Royal Collection, mostly from two important time periods: the early Tudor (Renaissance) and the late Stuart to early Georgian period. In September 2015, the Royal Collection listed 542 works with images 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 displayed 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, featuring tables, chairs, clocks, and more. Some state beds remain 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 displays many historic weapons, such as muskets, pistols, swords, and armor, arranged in beautiful patterns on the walls. The palace also 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 special wooden and plaster ceiling, which is one of the most important and beautiful in Britain. This ceiling is the only part of the original decorations from the Tudor times that is still there today. The altar in the chapel is framed by a large, simple wooden piece with carved decorations made by Grinling Gibbons when Queen Anne ruled. Across from the altar is a special seat called the royal pew, where the royal family would sit during services, separate from everyone else.

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

Grounds

The beautiful grounds of Hampton Court Palace were designed in the late 1600s. Today, visitors can see a small garden that looks like the ones from the 1500s, even though most of the old gardens are gone. 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 American Vanderbilt family built an estate called Florham in Madison, New Jersey, inspired by the design of Hampton Court Palace. This grand home was created in 1893 for Florence Adele Vanderbilt Twombly and Hamilton McKown Twombly by the architects McKim, Mead & White.

Film location

Hampton Court Palace has been a popular place for movies and TV shows. Some of these include 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 for scenes in the spin-off series, Queen Charlotte: A Bridgerton Story, as well as the King's staircase in The Sandman and Renegade Nell.

Poetry

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