Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
HAMPTON COURT
Hampton Court Palace is the finest of England's royal abodes and well worth the trip
out from central London. A wonderfully imposing, sprawling red-brick ensemble on the
banks of the Thames, it was built in 1516 by the upwardly mobile Cardinal Wolsey,
Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor, only to be purloined by Henry himself after Wolsey fell
from favour. Charles II laid out the gardens, inspired by what he had seen at Versailles,
while King William III and Queen Mary II had large sections of the palace remodelled
by Wren. With so much to see, both inside and outside the palace, you're best off devot-
ing the best part of a day to the place, taking a picnic with you to have in the grounds.
