Imagine fleeing a burning palace barely escaping with your life. That was reality for Henry VII and his family right here at Richmond Palace. This was once a grand Tudor royal residence. It stood proudly on the River Thames. We are standing on a site steeped in royal history.
Richmond Palace replaced Shene Palace. Edward I appropriated an earlier manor house in 1299. His three direct descendants used it before it fell into disrepair. Henry VII, formerly the Earl of Richmond, erected the new palace around 1501. He honored his title by renaming the manor of Sheen “Richmond”. In 1500, the town of Sheen was renamed Richmond by Henry VII. Both names, Sheen and Richmond, are still used today.
Richmond Palace quickly became a favorite home of Elizabeth I. She died here in 1603. It remained a royal residence until the death of Charles I in 1649. The Parliament of England surveyed it and sold it for £13,000. Over the next ten years, it was largely demolished. The stones and timbers were reused as building materials. Only vestigial traces survive now. The Gate House is a notable example.
The site of Richmond Palace lies between Richmond Green and the River Thames. Street names like Old Palace Lane and Old Palace Yard hint at its past.
Let’s take a quick trip back in time. Henry I divided the manor of Shene from Kingston and granted it to a Norman knight. The manor-house of Sheen was established by at least 1125. Edward I took his court to Sheen in 1299. He received Scottish Commissioners here in 1305. Edward III extended the manor house turning it into Shene Palace. Edward III died at Shene in 1377.
Richard II made Sheen his main residence in 1383. He married Anne of Bohemia here. After Anne’s death, Richard II destroyed the manor. He was distraught. Henry V undertook rebuilding work in 1414. The first version of the palace was known as Sheen Palace. Henry V also founded Sheen Priory here. Henry VI continued rebuilding the palace. He wanted it worthy of his queen, Margaret of Anjou. Edward IV granted it to his queen, Elizabeth Woodville.
In 1492, Henry VII held a great tournament at the palace. A fire destroyed most of the wooden buildings on 23 December 1497. Henry rebuilt it and named it Richmond Palace. In 1502, Princess Margaret was betrothed to King James IV of Scotland here. Henry VII died at Richmond Palace in 1509.
At Christmastide in 1497, a fire broke out in the king’s private chambers. The Milanese ambassador estimated the damage at 60,000 ducats. The fire lasted three hours. Henry VII, his mother, and his wife barely escaped. Construction of the new palace began in 1498. It became a center of royal life.
Richmond Palace was largely built of brick and white stone. It had geometric octagonal towers and ornate weather vanes. It retained the layout of Sheen Palace. New additions included long galleries. Henry VII established a library and a richly appointed chapel. The windows were panelled. Richmond Palace covered 10 acres. It had its own orchards and walled gardens.
Henry VIII celebrated Christmas at Richmond with Catherine of Aragon. Pageants and tournaments were part of the celebrations. His son, Henry, Duke of Cornwall, was born here. Henry received Hampton Court from Wolsey. Wolsey resided at Richmond. In August 1531, Richmond became the principal residence of Henry’s daughter Mary. In 1540, Henry gave the palace to Anne of Cleves.
In 1554, Mary I spent her honeymoon at Richmond Palace with Philip of Spain. Elizabeth I spent much of her time at Richmond. She enjoyed hunting stags. Elizabeth I died here on 24 March 1603.
King James I preferred the Palace of Whitehall. Prince Henry commissioned water-works for the garden. Charles I owned Richmond Palace. He built his art collection here. Charles I gave the palace to Queen Henrietta Maria.
Within months of Charles’ execution in 1649, Richmond Palace was surveyed. It was sold for £13,000. Over the next ten years, it was largely demolished. Following the Restoration of the Monarchy in 1660, the palace was restored to Queen Henrietta Maria. The ruined palace was never rebuilt.
Accounts describe the furniture and decorations as superb. The survey taken in 1649 gives a minute description of the palace. In July 1997, the site was investigated by Time Team. Richmond Palace was one of the first buildings with a flushing lavatory. Sir John Harington invented it.
Structures that have survived include the Wardrobe, the Trumpeters’ House, and the Gate House. The Gate House was built in 1501. Today, Richmond Palace exists as fragments of a glorious past. It reminds us of the Tudor monarchs and their love for this place.