Hampton Court Palace

[Judge]

Got to watch an hour long documentary on our PBS affiliate last night on Henry VIII's Hampton Court Palace. Fascinating place and history. Worth watching!

Secrets of Henry VIII's Palace - Preview | PBS

 

[Fridgemagnetman]

Was lucky enough to go there years ago.
Would like to return.

I will say, Americans will be awestruck at the size of the maze.

I walked in and was out the other side before I even realized I was in it.

 

[Thinx]

I used to live by the Thames, as a young person, literally our back gate opened onto the river, between Teddington lock and Kingston upon Thames. Just around the corner from Hampton Court, which of course we seldom visited. We had a little boat tied up, and I used to row up as far as Kingston, or down as far as the lock.

More recently when I was teaching in a London University, I've often walked along that stretch of the Thames, from Kingston to Teddington, (towards London)where I watch boats going through the lock. Hampton Court's the other direction from Kingston, further up river, about 3 miles.

Beyond Teddington, after crossing on the footbridge by the lock, I also like to walk to Twickenham and then the path by the Thames to Richmond-upon-Thames. There's some interesting houses along that stretch, Orleans House and gallery, and Marble Hill house and park.

We were close to Ham House, just along the road towards Richmond, a 17th century house and garden, now owned by the National Trust.

 

[tree]

Hampton Court Maze is a hedge maze planted some time between 1689 and 1695 by George London and Henry Wise for William III of Orange at Hampton Court Palace. The maze covers a third of an acre and contains half a mile of paths. It is possible that the current design replaced an earlier maze planted for Cardinal Thomas Wolsey. It was originally planted with hornbeam, although it has been repaired using many different types of hedge.

The maze is in 60 acres (0.2 km2) of riverside gardens. It has been described by many authors, including Defoe, and the humorist Jerome K. Jerome, who wrote in Three Men in a Boat:

"We'll just go in here, so that you can say you've been, but it's very simple. It's absurd to call it a maze. You keep on taking the first turning to the right. We'll just walk round for ten minutes, and then go and get some lunch."
...Harris kept on turning to the right, but it seemed a long way, and his cousin said he supposed it was a very big maze.
"Oh, one of the largest in Europe", said Harris.
"Yes, it must be", replied the cousin, "because we've walked a good two miles already."
Harris began to think it rather strange himself, but he held on until, at last, they passed the half of a penny bun on the ground that Harris's cousin swore he had noticed there seven minutes ago.
Hampton Court Maze - Wikipedia

 

[Mary Terry]

I watched it, too. Henry had a fascinating lifestyle for those days. I'd love to taste the food cooked and spit-roasted in the massive hearths. But I'd hate wearing the women's clothing.

 

[Judge]

What I found so interesting was that the grounds consist of two distinctly different architectural styles, separated by about 150 years between the tenure of kings Henry VIII and William III who resided there.

That when William III occupied this palace, he set about modernizing it, and intended to do so to the entire place. That only his untimely death resulted in the perpetuation of two distinct styles. And that as later monarchs like George III refused to live there, the state decided to simply open the palace to the public.

I'm glad that William III wasn't able to demolish the parts of the palace that reflected the reign of Henry VIII. So much rich English history revolved around Henry VIII compared to the reign of William III.

Very cool that my mother was able to visit the palace back in the 80s and 90s.