Hampton Court Palace

Geographically, varying aspects contribute to Hampton Court Palace distinguishing itself from other royal residences. According to John Bundy, author of The Stranger’s Guide to Hampton Court Palace and Gardens, “Hampton Court Palace stands on the northern bank of the Thames, about twelve miles due west from Hyde Park Corner, and is situated in the parish of Hampton, in the hundred of Spelthorne, and county of Middlesex” (Guide). With the palace’s very location outside city limits, it is unique in this sense. As we discussed after touring the palace, one of the conscious decisions was to locate it outside of the city to make trade and travel more plausible and easily achieved with it being situated directly on the Thames. In addition to mercantile convenience, the location reflected the fear of the plague at the time. The rich, such as monarchs, escaped the metropolis with its large population of habitants in order to seek refuge from potential disease.  With this, the idea of the rich living longer in these circumstances comes to fruition. Thus, the location of Hampton Court Palace as outside city limits was undoubtedly intentional.

The palace also differs from other royal residences architecturally.  While renovations and additions have proven common among the destinations we’ve visited thus far—Westminster Abbey, minor changes in Southwark Cathedral, and the Tower of London—the unique red exterior bricks help unify contrasting architectural styles as the palace reflects both Tudor and Baroque influences.  The man responsible to the red brick is Cardinal Wolsey who, according to Historic Royal Palaces, “began his magnificent palace on the Thames, he chose to build in red brick, rather than stone because it was a highly fashionable building material and a clear expression of his wealth and status”.

Hampton Court Palace establishes itself amongst the Tower of London and Windsor Castle as a royal place of residence that we have and will visit while in London. From the tour today, I deducted that the degree of imprisonment at the Tower greatly exceeded instances in the palace, with most prisoners at the palace being royal. We discussed today that the upkeep of the palace lacks the degree of the other sites we’ve visited because it is cared for and funded through an independent charity, which highlights another difference between the palace and the other royal residences. Decorations and design choice also lend differences seen in Hampton Court Palace—from Henry VIII’s tapestries, to the wine barrels, as well as the size and breadth of the kitchen and dining areas it is clear the palace was heavily centered on appearances and entertaining.

As far as the sites we’ve visited at this point in the trip, Hampton Court Palace stands as my favorite. I definitely enjoy the lack of “upkeep” and over-restoration because it makes the current state of the palace seem to more closely resemble what it looked (by retaining its originality) like during the Renaissance.