This beautiful Tudor court located near East Molesey, in the London Borough of Richmond in south-west London was the home to King Henry VIII and his wives and children. Having studied so much about the Tudors at school and already having a peak interest in that historical period, visiting the palace was simply a must! I visited back in 2013 and I do seek to return again as I do miss walking along the beautiful corridors, grandeur dining halls and the beautiful rose gardens. Oh, and there’s a maze!

Several standout areas of the palace for me were the Great Hall, the private quarters, the haunted gallery & the kitchens.

The Great Hall – this sits at the very heart of the palace. It really towers over the surrounding buildings and it was designed to impress guests and assert King Henry VIII’s power. The size of the hall is so grandeur that it was the first area of the palace that took my breath away. Alongside the extravagancy, the hall also had beautiful and large tapestry art hung along the room.

Haunted Gallery – This leads up towards the private quarters, which had a stunning ceiling designs and sculptures. The haunted gallery itself is infamous for the sightings of Catherine of Howard’s (Henry’s 5th wife) ghost running along the stretch of the gallery corridor. The story goes – Charged with adultery, the terrified young queen broke free from the guards and ran along what is now called the Haunted Gallery in the hope of finding Henry in the Chapel, to plead her innocence. However, before reaching the door, the guards seized her and took her back to her room. The ghost sighting has been witnessed by staff working at the palace.

The Tudor Kitchens – It was obvious, Henry VIII was a foodie. I heard that he had a baker that made delicious desserts and he imprisoned the baker to the kitchen to ensure she never leaves. I’m not sure if this was factual but it may be a question I’ll raise, next time I visit! The kitchen was the largest in Tudor England. There were 200 cooks, sergeants, grooms and pages worked to produce over 800 meals a day for the hungry household of Henry VIII.

How to get here –

Public transport:

Hampton Court Railway Station is a five-minute walk from the palace. Train services operate from London Waterloo and take around 30 minutes.
Various bus routes from nearby Richmond and Kingston also stop near the palace.

By Road:
East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU
Some parking is available at Hampton Court Palace at the cost of £1.60 p/h. Alternative parking is available nearby on Hampton Court Green at a cost of £3.00, Bushy Park free of charge, or at Hampton Court train station (please check at the station for pricing details).