Just outside London, on the borders of Surrey, lies the palace of Henry VIII (1491 - 1547), one of England's most renowned and celebrated kings. To be historically correct, this house was actually built to be the home of Thomas Wolsey (the land had previously belonged to The Knights Hospitallers of St John of Jerusalem, 1236, and was then bestowed upon Sir Giles Daubeney by Henry VII, passing to Wolsey six years after Daubeney's death) - When building began in 1514, Thomas was merely the Archbishop of York - When Henry first saw the house and its splendour, Wolsey had bettered his position by becoming Cardinal and Lord Chancellor. Henry was so impressed by the palace that he 'persuaded' Wolsey to part with it, and who was Thomas to argue with the king? (Henry moved into the palace in 1528).

Wolsey was soon to fall out of favour when he could not secure a divorce for Henry from his first wife, Catherine of Aragon (this had been an arranged marriage, backed by the papacy, to solidify European relations). Henry was determined to fulfill his passion for the young Anne Boleyn (later to become the mother of Elizabeth I), and when Wolsey's political antics failed to impress the Pope, he was accused of treason by his king. With failing health and lack of spirit, Wolsey returned to be tried, dying of natural causes just days before the King could condemn him himself (1530).

Local public houses and streets still honour Wolsey's name. (Unsurprisingly, there are few churches still remaining in the area that predate the Reformation - you can find one, St Georges, behind The Bear pub in Esher).

There are a few entrances to Hampton Court palace, but the main one is the West Gate entrance (the Trophy Gate - added by William III 1689 - 1702), which leads visitors into the Outer Green Court (or Base Court as it also known) and then into the Clock Court: One is immediately struck by the grandeur of the palace, emphasised by the enormous Astronomical Clock (1540, Nicholas Oursian - Inventor of clocks for the King) that greets you - interestingly, the clock depicts the sun revolving around the earth, not a common place belief at the time of construction. On the right is the Grand Hall of Henry VIII (which replaced the original room of Wolsey's), on the left, the official apartments of William and Mary (Christopher Wren), and in front, the gateway to the Fountain Court (built by William Kent under the reign of George II). Are you beginning to get the picture? Hampton Court may be renowned as a Tudor Palace, but other great architectural influences have also been at work over the centuries.

The official apartments of Henry VIII (access via the Clock Court, and Anne Boleyn?s staircase): The Grand Hall is probably the most important of all the rooms (only the original kitchens can give us more insight into 'everyday' Tudor life); constructed in 1532, the Hall is 32 metres by 12 metres (18 metres from floor to ceiling). It was built to function as a dining room for over 600 people - and also to provide as an impressive entrance to the King?s private rooms. Impressive? Oh yes. The ceiling is decorated with intricate wooden trellis work, with sculptured wooden heads highlighting certain areas, the walls are adorned with sumptuous tapestries (The History of Abraham) and the stained glass windows shed glittering light across the room (Henry himself is depicted standing in the middle).

The Haunted Gallery (supposedly blessed with the eternal presence of Catherine Howard - the 5th wife of Henry) was originally constructed under the control of Wolsey; the name only adds to its somber ambience - it really does feel (something to do with the light, I believe) like a step back in time. It isn't the grandest of rooms, but it does house five tapestries depicting Virgil's Aeniad (Early XVI century and probably acquired by Elizabeth I). The story of Catherine (accused of adultery and beheaded only 15 months after her marriage to Henry) can be heard via one of the guides, if you need to hear all the sad and morbid details; she is supposed to run through this room, fleeing to the Chapel in a last appeal to God and to Henry.

The king's apartments (those of William III) are truely sublime: You are led to them by the King's staircase, the surrounding walls of which are illustrated upon by Antonio Verrio (1700): lots of cherubs, gods and men adorn the stairwell, accompanied by blusterous clouds that ascend heavenward. The Guard Room is awash with arms, supposedly laid out it their intricate manner by William?s Gunman. The King's bedroom is as awe inspiring as you would expect: Red and gold taffeta is the theme of the day (all the materials are VERY delicate, so please refrain from touching); access to the chamber was severely limited when William was in town, and today we should feel privileged (if not deprived and somewhat anti the monarchy) to be able to see the sumptuous comfort in which he lived - it puts Ikea to shame :o)

I also have to mention the Georgian rooms (frequented by George II and Caroline), the great vine (planted by Capability Brown (for more of his work, pop down the road to Claremont Gardens)), the Real Tennis courts and the private reading room of the Queen (Caroline): All definitely worth the visit if you have the time.

As you can see, Hampton Court has played host to more than one reigning monarch: Queen Mary (of the Bloody fame) spent her honeymoon with Philip of Spain here. Elizabeth I was struck with a near fatal dose of smallpox while she stayed at the Palace. James I came here for hunting, and his son, Charles I, was imprisoned in the palace after the Civil War. William and Mary moved here shortly after taking the throne, commissioning Wren to rebuild the palace. They had meant to demolish the buildings that predated them, but they ran out of money and time. Prince Albert (husband of Queen Victoria), visited often to play tennis - His name is still on a locker in the changing rooms.

The palace and its gardens also play host to various exhibitions and shows (check press for details), the most successful of which are the Music Festival (in its ninth year), 7-16th June, and the spectacular Flower Show, 3-8th July, public all day tickets - 19.00 pounds. The gardens really do deserve an opinion of their own - I have spent many a long summer day strolling through them without a thought for the palace. An absolutely unmissable attraction of the gardens is the maze - entrance price is 1.70 pounds. The gardens are open all year round, free of charge, from 7.00 am until dusk.

Hampton Court (the town), has plenty of pubs and eateries. There is also an abundance of antique shops in the area, and, for the ladies, a small selection of rather trendy clothes shops - Squaring the Circle is a particular favourite of mine.

Transport to the palace: Hampton Court is on the A308, not far from the A3, M3 and M25 (and well sign posted). Several buses run from Kingston, but the easiest way is by train, only 30 minutes from Waterloo.