Sadly, through the sixteenth-century, Eltham Palace fell from favour. Since then it has been systematically restoring the principal interiors of the 20th-century house to their appearance in the time of the Courtaulds, and the gardens to conserve surviving features from the Courtauld era and maintain the integrity of a 1930s garden. • Sophie Campbell: Eltham Palace – Inside the newly restored Greenwich time machine. A campaign to save the great hall from demolition resulted in repairs in 1828 – with the main roof being shored up with props that remained in place until 1903. The Great Hall of Eltham Palace is still extant and was originally built for the Yorkist king Edward IV in the 1470s and his grandson, Henry VIII, spent much of his childhood here. For the next two centuries, it was only surpassed in importance and royal favour by the Palace of Westminster. H Woods, ‘Excavations at Eltham Palace, 1975–9’, Transactions of the London and Middlesex Archaeological Society, 33 (1982), 215–65. The Great Hall was used as a barn and a campaign was started to save it from being torn down. Once a favoured medieval palace and then the childhood home of Henry VIII, Eltham Palace was transformed into a striking Art Deco mansion by eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. Discover the Courtauld’s extravagant lifestyle as you explore their stylish home which incorporates original medieval features into an otherwise ultra-modern 1930s design. The emphasis was on the medieval work at the expense of the 1930s intervention, which had some unfortunate consequences, such as the destruction of the gondola-style Courtauld lanterns in the great hall. In the 14th and 15th centuries, the palace at Eltham was a favourite royal residence. History. [8] In 1445 new buildings were erected for the arrival of Henry VI’s bride, Margaret of Anjou.[9]. Both King Henry VII and King Henry VIII made further alterations to the royal apartments, with the latter also adding a new chapel to the site. He was known as John of Eltham. Photograph: Wikipedia. On Christmas Eve 1515 Cardinal Wolsey took the oath of office of lord chancellor there. The Courtaulds continued to entertain – though on a reduced scale – at Eltham during the war, but eventually, in May 1944, they moved out, having reputedly become tired of the bombing. Eltham was the older of the two and had been developed as a luxurious royal retreat from the time of Edward III. Elizabeth I (r.1558–1603) only visited Eltham occasionally. Medieval Eltham. In 1364 he received John II of France (1319–64) at the palace amid ‘great dancing and caroling’ when John returned to voluntary captivity in England. Visitors wil… BEGINNINGS . Eltham Palace - interior, view of Virginia Courtauld’s bedroom.jpg 3,648 × 5,472; 3.87 MB Eltham Palace Bathroom-16623456.jpg 1,024 × 681; 938 KB Eltham Palace … The result was a masterpiece of 20th-century design. During the 17th century the buildings were poorly maintained. He also preferred Greenwich, which was more accessible from Westminster by river. Athletic, musical, a poet. In the 1380s Richard II created a walled garden to the south beyond the moat ‘for the king and queen to have dinner there in the summer time’,[7] as well as a dancing chamber and a new bathhouse within the king’s apartments. July 22, 2015 historychick2012 Leave a comment. Eltham Palace isn’t exactly on the tourist trail. Towards the end of the 18th century the palace appears as a romantic feature in paintings and engravings by artists such as Turner, Girtin and Sandby. In the early 1800’s, a villa was built and ornamental gardens and kitchen gardens were planted. I visited Eltham Palace today, it’s located in the borough of Greenwich. The moat walls were altered again, and a new drawbridge and service buildings were built. Gas was used to power underfloor and radiant ceiling heating throughout the house. History of Eltham Palace Unusual Venues Boiler House - Element of the Battersea Power Station, the venue has a trendy industrial truly feel to it. But it dates all the way back to 1305, when it was presented to King Edward II. 5621230. In 1995 its management was handed over to English Heritage which restored the building in 1999 and opened it to the public. Little is known of any settlement on the site until the Domesday survey of 1086, when the manor of Eltham is recorded as belonging to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux, half-brother of William the Conqueror. By the Civil War, the palace was in poor repair. Not only was it really close to my house (about 40 mins away) you would think you were in the country when you encounter the property. Eltham Palace est une demeure royale, dans le Borough royal de Greenwich situé au sud-est de Londres.Elle a été occupée par la famille royale du xiv e au xvi e siècle. The original palace was given to Edward II in 1305 by the Bishop of Durham, Anthony Bek, and used as a royal residence from the 14th to the 16th century. For almost 200 years, the Great Hall at Eltham Palace was used as a farm building! There was a centralised vacuum cleaner in the basement. 10. From the 14th to the 16th century it was an important royal palace, where monarchs often stayed and hunted in the surrounding parks. Full view of Eltham Palace with the Great Hall on the left and the Art Deco House on the right (Photo copyright of The Freelance History Writer) On my last trip to the UK, I was lucky enough to have a tour of Eltham Palace. From the 14th to the 16th century it was an important royal palace, where monarchs often stayed and hunted in the surrounding parks. Eltham Palace became a royal house from 1305 when Anthony Bek, Bishop of Durham, presented it to the future Edward II. A view of the palace was published upon a very small scale, by Stent, in 1650. The estate included the moated manor house, a dovecote, a deer park, and a windmill. Repairs were made in 1828 and the roof was … From its base at Eltham the now Royal Army Educational Corps (RAEC) ran Army schools overseas, administered examinations, provided language and other training for soldiers and helped with resettlement when they left the Army. Eltham Palace ist ein Herrenhaus im Londoner Stadtteil Eltham im Royal Borough of Greenwich.Es gehört zu den derzeit nicht bewohnten königlichen Residenzen und ist Besitz des Crown Estate.. Seit 1995 wird Eltham Palace von English Heritage verwaltet. In the 1530s, however, Henry VIII rarely came to Eltham. As King, Edward embarked on a large-scale programme of building and improvement, which his successors continued. CM Fraser, A History of Antony Bek (Oxford, 1957), 107–8, 195, 210; RA Brown, HM Colvin and AJ Taylor, The History of the King’s Works, vol 2: The Middle Ages (London, 1963), 930. It was the place in which to spend Christmas, and monarchs from Henry IV to Henry VIII did just that. The house was ideally suited to display the Courtaulds’ extensive collection of works of art, which included contemporary pieces as well as Old Masters. It also provided ample space for entertaining their broad social circle. [3] A timber drawbridge, probably on the site of the present north bridge, led to the manor house. Stephen and Virginia Courtauld remained at Eltham for most of the Second World War, retreating during air raids to the basement, which they had fitted out as a comfortable bomb shelter. Getting here According to one account, the incident which inspired Edward III's foundation of the Order of the Garter took place here. A ground plan of part of the ancient palace of Eltham, as taken in 1509, was engraved for Hasted's History of Kent. James I (r.1603–25) found the palace ‘farre in decay’, and Charles I was the last king to visit it. Way down in southeast London, it’s a train ride from most places locals frequent. Eventually, after the ravages of the Civil War, the palace was used as a farm and the Great Hall became a barn. The palace's three parks, Great Park, Middle Park, and Horn Park were stripped of their timber for shipbuilding. It became the custom for the court to spend Christmas at Eltham, when the palace became the scene of elaborate festivities. But the history of Eltham Palace starts all the way back in the 11th Century and since then it has told a story full of parties, war and even pet lemurs! By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies. The most valuable contents of the house were dispersed for safety. It was still used as a barn, however. Part of the Secret London…. Art Deco meets Medieval and Tudor with gardens full of wonderful surprises Eltham was a favourite residence of Edward IV (r. 1461–70, 1471–83). The fact that they were ratified at Eltham indicates the palace’s continuing importance. Eltham Palace is also a masterpiece of 20th-century design, encapsulating centuries of British political and social history. The Great Hall and surviving medieval buildings date to the reign of King Edward IV (1461 – 83). We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.