In the footsteps of kings and queens

Last Saturday our regular weekend jaunt took us to Hampton Court Palace, yet another historic building within easy reach of Epsom - 25 minutes by car.

Hampton Court is one of only two surviving palaces of the many owned by Henry the Eighth (the other is St James's Palace). It's currently celebrating its 500th anniversary, building having been commenced in 1515 by Cardinal Wolsey. He ended up passing the property to Henry and it was occupied by a succession of Tudors and Stuarts over the following 200 years or so. 

Hampton Court Palace's most famous resident

It's a truly amazing experience, wandering the halls and great rooms of such a grand palace. You can almost hear the swish of ladies' silk dresses and the boisterous revelry of banquets.

Visitors are free to wander on their own audio tour or you can choose to join costumed guides who bring the history of the palace to life.

Architecturally and artistically there is so much to admire, with the palace having been added to and renovated over hundreds of years. 

In 1689 King William III and Queen Mary II commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to demolish and completely rebuild the palace, however time and money issues meant the project was revised to include only some of the buildings.


The reconstruction was done in the Baroque style - inspired by the new Palace of Versailles, and bringing Hampton Court Palace into the modern area. 

The grand staircase leading to King William III's apartments

Fountain Court, designed by Christopher Wren

The grounds are world famous and include several formal areas, a deer park and what is believed to be the world's oldest grape vine. There are superb avenues of shaped yews planted by Queen Anne in the early 1700s. 

There is also a maze which I was sorry to have entered almost as soon as I set foot in it - I am a bit claustrophobic and although the maze hedge is not terribly high, I still felt a sense of panic and raced through at some speed, desperate to find the exit, which amused Kevin no end.

One of the sunken gardens

Another of the sunken gardens

The signs of Spring were everywhere...

The Privy Garden

A sea of daffodils - The Wilderness

As if the buildings and grounds weren't enough, art lovers will swoon over the vast collection at the palace. The Cumberland Gallery in particular boasts works by Rembrandt, Caravaggio, Holbein, van Dyck and Canaletto.

I am a real sucker for renaissance portraiture and found plenty to delight in. 

We easily disposed of six hours at Hampton Court Palace and still didn't see everything. 

Some of you will know that I am staunchly anti-monarchist. It's a defunct system and one based on the privilege of birth. It's the taking of the wealth of a nation to fund an inbred minority. Morrissey and I are of one voice on this topic. 

That doesn't stop me being fascinated with royalty from an historical perspective.

We've signed up for an annual membership and will look forward to getting our money's worth as we visit throughout the year. The poor gawping at the trappings and falderals of the rich. I guess not that much has changed over the centuries...

Until next time,
- Maree  x