In about Wolsey was, under duress, obliged to transfer the lease to Henry VIII who acquired the freehold in Wolsey had devoted the ten years of his tenancy to building the original palace.
Its size and, probably, magnificance had attracted much envy: that of the king being satisfied by the gift. Henry made substantial alterations and extensions, obscuring the layout of Wolsey's design. Current archaeological research is revealing details of this. Hampton Court Palace is a royal palace in the London borough of Richmond upon Thames and is considered an architectural marvel.
And as one of the monuments of the Tudor period, the history of Hampton Court Palace is an interesting one. The palace entertained regular parties, innumerable guests, and fielded hunts for a very long time, and is today one of the most important buildings in the history of England.
Hampton Court Palace was not built from scratch as on its spot there was a previous medieval manor which was chosen because of its perfect location, almost 12 miles southwest of Central London.
Hampton Court Palace was originally envisioned and sponsored by Cardinal Thomas Wolsey, who was one of the most powerful and prominent politicians of his time, as well as the most prominent churchman. Before his arrest and order for execution, it was his own personal palace, but he had allocated apartments for the royal family — King Henry VIII, Katherine of Aragon, and their daughter Mary — who he considered friends of a sort.
He turned the previously lavish palace into a magnificent residence, one that would easily reflect his own power and wealth. Succeeding his father King Henry VII, King Henry VIII was considered a turbulent leader, and had grand ideas for the palace, such as the previously-unheard-of luxury of having both hot and cold running water. While he did not overlook the palace renovations himself, it was turned into an ornate residence that was worthy to house the monarch of England of the time.
He ordered several personal quarters to be built for himself, and his second wife, Anne Boleyn, as well as a tennis court, bowling alley, and a complete renovation of the hunting grounds.
Because the king enjoyed showing off his wealth and power to visitors and foreigners he regularly entertained delegations from other royal families across Europe, so this palace was built and intended to facilitate these specific ideas of the king.
Among the vast and turbulent history of Hampton Court Palace, its gardens are possibly the only serene highlight. Every generation of monarchs added something new and unique to the already breathtaking gardens — the maze, the baroque gardens, the elegant Victorian mass bedding, the Pond Gardens, and many more stunning elements.
The ghost of Queen Jane is purported to haunt the palace, as it is claimed, does that of Henry's fifth wife, Catherine Howard , who, on being arrested for high treason at Hampton Court attempted to reach her husband to appeal directly to him, she was apprehended by guards as she ran to Wolsey's Gallery and pulled away screaming. She later met her death by beheading at the Tower of London. Ever after, sightings of the deeply agitated Catherine have been reported on the gallery, now renamed the Haunted Gallery.
The Chapel Royal boasts a superb golden hammer-beam roof. Henry's last marriage, to Catherine Parr took place there in , in the Chapel Royal. The Palace continued to be occupied by Henry's successors, the unfortunate Charles I was imprisoned there during the Civil War, after his execution the palace was retained for the use of the Lord Protector, Oliver Cromwell. He also planted the long avenue of limes that radiate from the East Front as well as installing the Great Canal.
William who suffered badly from asthma disliked the smog laden air of London and wished for a country retreat. The superb paintings on the ceiling of the King's bedroom are the work of Antonio Verrio and fittingly depict Endymion lying in the arms of the god of sleep, Morpheus.
Verrio, a celebrated Italian artist is also responsible for the magnificent murals that adorn the King's Staircase, the Queen's Drawing Room and the ceiling and wall panels in the Banqueting Room.
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