Hampton Court Palace

We started out early for our journey to Hampton Court on the outskirts of London. The train station was a mess because a tree had fallen across a track on the Gatwick Express line, and routes were being cancelled and diverted. Not good during rush hour! Luckily, we only got a little off schedule. 

Hampton Court Palace was originally owned by Cardinal Wolsey, and it was at first nothing special. Wolsey was a rising star at Henry VIII's court, though, and he used his new wealth to make Hapton Court truly remarkable. Maybe too remarkable. Eventually, Wolsey fell out of favor with Henry (as everyone was bound to do at some point when Henry was involved), and Henry remarked that Wolsey's palace was more splendid than any that Henry owned. Noting the dangerous tone to the comment, Wolsey immediately "gifted" Hampton Court to Henry in an effort to find favor once again. It didn't work. Wolsey was charged with Treason a short time later, but he died of natural causes awaiting trial. 

Hampton Court has seen updates and renovations through the years. There is a clear divide between the Tudor buildings and the Georgian buildings. We were mostly focused on the Tudor period as we toured. We saw the Great Hall, Henry's Presence Chamber and Privy Closet, the Chapel Royal and Royal Pew (including a reproduction of Henry's crown), Henry's kitchens, and the wine cellar. 

The HA (Henry and Anne) decorative initials in the ceiling work that mistakenly didn't get cleared away after Anne's beheading:

And more HA scroll work missed in the Great Hall panelling:

The room where debates/politics were hashed out. 

The wine fountain that flowed freely during celebrations. 

The gallery supposedly haunted by Catherine Howard, Hemry's fifth wife whom he had beheaded for adultery. 

The storage areas for food and the meat grilling room.

Chimneys - a sign of the opulence of this place. Each high-ranking guest room had a fireplace. 

Georgian Wing (William III and Mary II) and Gardens