• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
    • First Time Here?
    • Archive
    • London Blogs
  • Blog
  • Travel
    • London Theater Tickets
    • Shopping
    • Tips
    • Tours
    • Transport
    • Maps
    • Parks
    • Resources
    • Restaurants
    • Top 10 London
  • Culture
    • Art
    • Buildings
    • Food
    • London Books
    • Movies
    • Museums
    • Music
    • Pubs
  • Londonism
    • Reviews
    • Fun London
    • Iconic London
    • Life in London
    • London Realities
    • Moving to London
    • Politics
  • The Tube
  • London History
    • Great London Buildings
    • Great Londoners
  • Contact
  • Guidebooks
    • 101 London Travel Tips – Guidebook
    • 101 Free Things to do in London

Londontopia

The Website for People Who Love London

You are here: Home / Travel / Attractions / Fit for a King: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Hampton Court Palace

Fit for a King: 10 Interesting Facts and Figures about Hampton Court Palace

Jun 11, 2015 By John Rabon

Hampton-Court

Hampton Court Palace was one of the many residences of King Henry VIII, though it was originally built for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey in 1514. However, Cardinal Wolsey’s failure to secure an annulment for Henry’s marriage to Catherine of Aragon led to the English Reformation and Wolsey saw the writing on the wall. Before the king could take the palace, the Cardinal gave it to him as a gift. Both Henry and King William III would go on to expand the palace, with the latter doing his best to make it rival Versailles.

Only Two Left

Hampton Court Palace is one of only two of Henry VIII’s palaces that are intact today. While this fact is up for debate considering the many houses and castles owned or seized by Henry (though he didn’t live in many of the still-existing buildings), there were only two real “palaces” in which he lived. The other still-existing palace is St. James Palace, which is currently the senior palace of the Sovereign. As such, when ambassadors are admitted to the UK, they are admitted “to the Court of St. James”.

Lucky Place for a Wedding

Of Henry’s six wives, only one of them actually survived the marriage without execution, divorce, or death from other causes. This wife was Catherine Parr, whom Henry married at Hampton Court Palace in 1543.

A Modern Palace

Hampton Court was considered a modern palace when first constructed. It possessed a 36,000 square foot kitchen, a toilet area that could seat 30 people, bowling greens, and 60 acres of gardens that included tennis courts. The gardens also have the UK’s oldest surviving hedge maze, which was designed in 1700.

Employment

At its height, Hampton Court Palace employed some 600 people.

The Last Resident

The last person to ever live at Hampton Court Palace was King George II. When his son, George III, ascended the throne, he never set foot in the palace and it went unused until Queen Victoria opened it to the public in 1838. In 1952, it achieved the honour of statutory protection by becoming Grade I listed. This fact is interesting in light of how the HBO mini-series John Adams used the palace to film Adams’ reception by George III as America’s first ambassador to Britain.

King for a Day

During the 2012 Summer Olympics, Hampton Court Palace was a venue for the Road Cycling Time Trial. Several thrones were built for the athletes in medal positions.

All the Court’s a Stage

Or at least, the Great Hall was a stage. William Shakespeare and his company, the King’s Men, performed several of their plays for King James I. In late 1603 and early 1604, the company was brought to the palace and housed there for three weeks to provide entertainment for the Christmas celebrations.

Keeping Time

Hampton Court Palace installed a magnificent astronomical clock on the tower of the gatehouse facing the inner court in 1540. It was designed by Nicolas Cratzer and made by Nicholas Oursian. The clock is 15 feet tall and has three separate copper dials that can tell you the hour, the day of the month, and the position of the Sun relative to the Earth, as well as the phases of the moon, the age of the moon in days, and when the moon crosses the meridian, thus allowing one to predict when the Thames will be at high tide.

Cost of Renovations

Much of the first phase of renovations took place when Henry came into possession of the palace. The total cost to him at the time was £18 million (or £30 million in 2010 currency).

A Holy Place?

The Chapel Royal at the palace was where Archbishop Cranmer handed Henry the list of accusations against his fifth wife, Catherine Howard. Unlike accusations against other of Henry’s wives, Catherine’s indiscretions had some real weight to them, with her already having to pay people for their silence. Needless to say, Henry didn’t take it well, had her imprisoned in the Tower of London, and then executed her on 13 February 1542.

The King’s Beasts

The ten animal statues on the bridge leading to the great gatehouse are heraldic symbols that represent the ancestry of Henry and his third wife, Jane Seymour. These animals include: the lion of England, the Seymour Lion, the Royal dragon, the black bull of Clarence, the mythical tale of Beaufort, the white lion of Mortimer, the white greyhound of Richmond, the Tudor dragon, the Seymour panther, and the Seymour unicorn.

John Rabon
Author: John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

close

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Share this:

  • Print
  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Pinterest
  • Reddit
  • Pocket

Filed Under: Attractions, Buildings, Culture, Featured, History

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

About John Rabon

John is a regular writer for Anglotopia and its sister websites. He is currently engaged in finding a way to move books slightly to the left without the embarrassment of being walked in on by Eddie Izzard. For any comments, questions, or complaints, please contact the Lord Mayor of London, Boris Johnson's haircut.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Elizabeth West says

    Jun 16, 2015 at 3:04 pm

    I’ve been here, years ago. It’s pretty cool. Definitely worth a visit if you’re nearby.

  2. Dale says

    Jun 16, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    They are admitted to the Court of St James’s, at St James’s Palace. The possessive is pronounced as an extra syllable.

  3. Dale says

    Jun 16, 2015 at 8:00 pm

    And I think you mean the yale of Beaufort.

  4. jeroseta says

    Jun 20, 2015 at 8:29 am

    The remarkable history of this palace alone is worth the trip. The unique architecture and gardens are the cherries on top! Worth every moment you spend there…

  5. Gerry Vidal says

    Aug 16, 2015 at 2:45 pm

    Been there 2 x’s, I recall the guide telling our group that outside of the continent, the tennis court is one of the oldest tennis courts (indoors -at that). Facination place.

  6. Kristy says

    Aug 17, 2015 at 9:47 am

    I’m not here to criticize, I’m here to tell you this was a fantastic article, and I love hearing from you about history!!!???

  7. Paul Anghinetti says

    Jun 1, 2017 at 4:54 pm

    King George III was the grandson of King George II, not his son. Frederick, Prince of Wales, was the eldest son of King George II, and the father of King George III, but Frederick’s death in 1751 left the door open for his son to succeed, which happened when King George II died in 1760.

Primary Sidebar

Subscribe to Our Free London Updates

Free London News

Get the latest news on London history, culture, travel, exhibitions, and more right in your inbox!

Check your inbox or spam folder to confirm your subscription.

Get the Anglotopia/Londontopia App

Our Advertisers

If you are a mobile gamer, you may want to take a look at UK’s new mobile casinos and slots reviewed by NewCasinoUK.

Join the London Forum

  • Mudlarking
  • MY FAVOURITE PLACE IN LONDON
  • What's Your Favorite Place in London?
  • Paddington Station

London Guide

  • Ten Cheap Things You Can Do in London on a Budget
  • Ten London Exhibitions to Look Forward to in 2023
  • London’s Non-Free Museums: Your Guide to London’s Museums That Charge Admission
  • Trip Planning: Top 10 Exhibitions To Plan Your 2018 Trips to London Around
  • London Guide: Our Favorite Restaurants in London – London Restaurant Recommendations for Americans – What’s Your Favorite?

Connect With Us

  • Facebook
  • RSS Feed
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter

Support Londontopia

Search our Extensive Archive

Top 10 London

  • Ten Unusual Exhibits to See in London
  • London Pubs: Ten Thameside Pubs for a Pint and a View
  • Top 10 London: Ten More Things to Do Along the River Thames
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Shopping Centers in London
  • Museums of London: Ten Overlooked London Museums
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haggerston
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Haringey
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Redbridge
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to See and Do in Hillingdon
  • Top 10 London: Top Ten Things to Do in Canonbury

Recent Posts

  • V&A set to open first major UK exhibition on Renaissance sculptor Donatello
  • Ten National Trust Properties in London
  • What’s On in London Events for February 2023
  • Only Fools And Horses musical to close in West End after four years
  • Artist Ai Weiwei to launch first design-focused exhibition at London’s Design Museum
  • London Travel Alert: Staff at British Museum to walk out during half-term break
  • Poet Lemn Sissay ‘over the moon’ to receive Freedom of the City of London
  • English Heritage has unveiled six new blue plaques for London
  • National Portrait Gallery to reopen in June with two special exhibitions
  • Exploring The Cosmic House in London

Best Posts on Londontopia

  • 101 London Travel Tips
  • Top 100 London Attractions
  • How to Find the Cheapest Airfares to London
  • 10 Things NOT to do in London
  • Best London Guidebooks
  • 101 Free Things to do in London
  • London Lingo – A London Word Dictionary
  • Top 7 Tips for Doing London on the Cheap
  • Top 11 Myths American Believe about London
  • Guide to Eating in London
  • Best Times of Year to Travel to London
  • London Packing Tips
  • Top 11 Movies Set in London
  • Top Attractions off the Tourist Track
  • Top 5 Most Amazing London Hotels
  • Top 10 Hostels in London
  • Best Views in London Restuarants
  • London Taxi Ettiquette
  • Top 12 London Views
  • Great Fire of London
  • A Guide to Five of London’s Bridges
  • 10 Random Facts and Figures about Trafalgar Square
  • Top 100 British Slang Words

London Places to Explore

Bloomsbury Buckingham Palace Canary Wharf City of London Covent Garden Cutty Sark Greenwich Hampstead Hampton Court Palace Heathrow Houses of Parliament Hyde Park Imperial War Museum Islington Kensington Kensington Palace Leicester Square London London Eye London Transport Museum Museum of London National Gallery Notting Hill Piccadilly Circus Putney Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Regent's Street Royal Academy Selfridges Somerset House Southbank Southwark St Pancras St Paul's Cathedral Tate Britain Tate Modern The City Tower Bridge Tower of London Trafalgar Square V&A Wandsworth West End Westminster Westminster Abbey

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Recent Videos

Walk Around London Virtually Right Now – Watched Walker is the YouTube Channel We All Need Right Now

Jason Hawkes Shares a Beautiful Video of London From Above That We All Need Right now

London Tube: You’ve Got to Watch This Amazing Mesmerizing Animation That Shows the Real Geography of the London Underground

Video: The Basics of Crossrail – London’s New Underground Line

London History: The Place Where Old London Double Decker Buses Went to Die

London Video: A Look at the Great Smog of London

Tube and London bus fares to rise by nearly 6% from March

What is Crossrail 2 and What is Its Current Status?

London Alert: Strike by London Underground workers to go ahead after last-minute talks fail

London Mayor hails Elizabeth line as direct routes and Sunday services begin

Elizabeth line fully opens and offers more direct journeys

Tube poet encourages writers to ‘bring who they are to the field’

Footer

About Londontopia

Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!

When We’re in London Next

We don’t currently have any travel plans to London but hope to visit at some point in 2021.

  • SEO Backlinks
  • Travel Blog

SIGN-UP FOR FREE LONDON WEEKLY UPDATES!

Please enter a valid email address
That address is already in use
The security code entered was incorrect
Thanks for signing up

Copyright © 2023 Anglotopia, LLC · Website Developed by Anglotopia, LLC · Log in