Hampton Court Palace Tour
Hampton Court Palace can be combined with Windsor Castle if you wish to hire a driver.
Come and hear tales of this extraordinary palace built for Cardinal Wolsey and taken over by the infamous Henry VIII who enlarged it. With the addition of 17th century apartments, we will discover a wonderful amalgamation of Baroque and Tudor styles.
Come and hear tales of this extraordinary palace built for Cardinal Wolsey and taken over by the infamous Henry VIII who enlarged it. With the addition of 17th century apartments, we will discover a wonderful amalgamation of Baroque and Tudor styles.
- We enter through though Base Court, created by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey who lived in such luxury, that King Henry VII became jealous and Wolsey was forced to hand over the palace to him.
- Then we find ourselves in Clock Court so called because of its incredible Astronomical Clock which describes everything from the day of the month, to the 12 signs of the zodiac to high water at London Bridge.
- The jewel in the crown is probably Henry VIII’s State Apartments and in particular the Great Hall with its magnificent hammer beam roof and priceless tapestries.
- You can also visit the enormous Tudor Kitchens which would have fed about 600 people at a time.
- The Chapel Royal has a spectacular fan vaulted ceiling and the Ghost of Catherine Howard, Henry VIII’s fifth wife, is said to haunt the nearby corridors.
- King William III’s Apartments were built by the famous architect Christopher Wren and give us an idea of 17th century oppulent court life, a life said to rival that of the Palace of Versailles.
- Once you’ve done the inside of the palace, you cannot fail to be impressed with the beautiful gardens at Hampton Court and of course the Great Maze which entertains everyone.