Hampton Court and Richmond Park

We shall arrive at Hampton Court during the morning where you will be left to visit Hampton Court for approximately 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Here is a brief outline of the history of the Palace.

Hampton Court started as a small holding built by the Knights Hospitallers with hardly any sleeping accommodation, in the year 1503 .

In 1514 Thomas, Wolsey, the Archbishop of York and Chief Minister to the new King, Henry VIII ) obtained the 99 years lease of Hampton Court from the Knights Hospitallers. The exact nature of the house he acquired is uncertain, but it must have been fairly substantial to attract a man like Wolsey.

Henry VIII was prolific in everything, from marriage to palace building. In just 10 years he spent more than £62,000 rebuilding and extending Hampton Court. This was a vast sum worth approximately £18 million today. In his youth, Henry was considered to be the handsomest prince in Europe.

For almost 200 years, Hampton Court Palace was at the centre of court life, politics and national history.

The Palace has great treasures to be enjoyed :

The Tudor Kitchens, built by Wolsey from 1514 to cater for his large household.

The Mansions of England . The Cardinal reportedly had 280 silk beds in readiness for visitors.

The Terracotta roundel of the Emperor Augustus. One of a series made for Cardinal Wolsey in 1521 by the Italian Renaissance sculptor, Giovanni da Maiano.

Many priceless paintings by world famous artists including a Raffaello self-portrait.

The first tennis courts were built here.

The famous Maze where you will find difficulty finding your way out.

Do not miss Wolsey's Great Hall, reconstructed c1525

On the way back to the hotel we shall drive through the beautiful town of Richmond upon Thames. This is a very attractive middle class, residential, busy town, much sought after as it is very convenient for commuting to London. The Green enjoys beautiful properties on all four sides facing the square. These vary in architecture from Victorian to Georgian styles. Richmond Theatre, just off the Green, plays an important part in the entertainment aspect of this lovely Town. The many shops and people bustling around make it a very charming and lively place to visit.

Because these are individual tours, (up to 16 persons), the minibuses used for these is far more versatile than the usual large and cumbersome coaches, so we can take you to see places where otherwise many tourists undoubtedly miss out.

One other great advantage is that we can stop anywhere you choose rather than the pre-arranged, obligatory stops tourists have to do when in larger groups.

The duration of the tour is 4 hours and driver will make sure your visit will be very enjoyable.

Duration:
Half-Day

Cost:
Price on application.

More information:
Hampton Court
Richmond

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