A visit to Hampton Court is a superb day out from London. Situated on the banks of the River Thames, about 13 miles west of the city, the most pleasant way to reach Hampton Court is by river boat. Cruises can be boarded at Westminster Bridge and the pleasant journey takes a couple of hours. Pass the old waterfront warehouses, now converted into luxury apartments, look out for old houseboats moored at the side of the Thames and see fine homes built on the islands in the wider parts of the river. These small private islands, known as "aits", are only accessible over a wooden footbridge. Idyllic English gardens run down to the river, screened by weeping willows, summer houses and colorful herbaceous borders. There are also many historic inns along the River Thames which were built to serve the working river boats in times past.
Hampton Court Palace is enormous and quite breathtaking. The magnificent redbrick mansion was begun in 1514 by Cardinal Wolsey who intended it to be "the most lavish palace in all England". Unfortunately, once finished it was so superb that Henry VIII just had to have it and "persuaded" Thomas Wolsey to give it to him as a gift. However, Wolsey's personal seal can still be seen over the clock tower archway. King Henry subsequently lived at Hampton Court Palace with five of his six wives. He enjoyed riding and hunting in the vast acres of forest around the palace.
To get the most from your visit to Hampton Court, opt for a guided tour with one of the excellent costumed guides who will also answer your questions, or pick up a self-guided audio tour and go-as-you-please.
Of special note is the Magnificent Great Hall, a barn-like medieval hall with armor and swords decorating the walls. The tapestries are 500 years old! You can almost smell the pig roasting in the huge fireplace, and hear the merriment of guests feasting at the long wooden tables. William Shakespeare's theater company actually performed in this very hall in 1603.
Hampton Court also has one of the earliest tennis courts – played indoors and a precursor to the modern-day game of squash. Take a seat on the velvet cushions in the royal box and imagine those courtiers playing here in their finery. The cavernous Tudor kitchens are also worth a visit. The palace guests and staff consumed 600,000 gallons of beer, 8200 sheep, 2330 deer, 1870 pigs and over two thousand oxen and calves annually!
Wandering through the galleries you may feel a chill in the air. The palace is said to be haunted by the ghost of Jane Seymour, one of King Henry VIII’s wives, and the screaming ghost of Catherine Howard has also reputedly been heard. More recently, a figure in a long cloak was caught on the closed circuit cameras, apparently walking through doors which had opened themselves. The footage was discovered when security guards viewed the tapes after a fire alarm had been triggered. Doesn’t that make you shiver, just a little?
Finally, head for the King's and Queen's apartments with their priceless artworks, fine collections of furniture and porcelain. These baroque rooms were created by William and Mary, who lavishly improved and extended the palace in the late 17th century. They added the fabulous arcaded Fountain Court, designed by Christopher Wren who is best known for his design of St Paul's in London. Look out for the Stone Yeomen, who are always on duty, propping up the fireplace in the Queen’s Guard Chamber. They were probably carved by Grinling Gibbons, who worked on many other buildings in London in the early 18th Century.
The 750-acre Hampton Court Palace Gardens are a real treat for garden lovers. See the thousand year old oak tree, the knot garden and the Great Vine, planted by Capability Brown in 1768 which still produces luscious grapes. During early July, the palace grounds host the Royal Horticultural Society's magnificent Flower and Garden Show, the largest annual flower show in the world, which is well worth getting tickets for. Prize-winning model gardens are created with full-grown trees, babbling streams and banks of flowers as well as hundreds of marquees with flower exhibits, sales, demonstrations and lectures.
End your visit to Hampton Court Palace with a stroll along Long Water or explore the fiendishly confusing maze with its extensive paths between high hedges, but don't get lost or you may miss the last boat home!
Publishers note: Directly across the street from the gates at Hampton Court is the Carlton Mitre Hotel, head downstairs to their Rivers Edge Brasserie and enjoy lunch or a drink right next to the Thames, it's a wonderful spot, and the food is pretty good too. If you would rather not take the trip by boat, Hampton Court train station is across the river from the palace, just a 2 minute walk from the gates and trains leave every 30 minutes to and from Waterloo Station, about a 30 minute journey. If you are feeling energetic, walk along the river past the palace gardens and the golf course to Kingston, which has good shopping several good pubs on the river and a station to take you back to London (Waterloo). It's a wonderful walk, it will take you about an hour.
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