2. Facade
3. Side View
4. First Gate
7. Base Court
9. Clock Court
11. Dock and River
12. Tudor Garden
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This is the main entrance to the palace. This is the original entrance, however it has been altered from Wolsey's five story entrance, which had to be changed because it was unstable.
To the left of the main entrance was a wing used as the entrance to the Kitchens. The gate in the center leads into a large courtyard where goods were delivered. On the second floor, kitchen offices occupied many of the rooms, as well as lodgings for kitchen officials.
The exterior facade to the left and the interior facade to the right.
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Base Court is the first court one comes to when entering the palace. This leads straight to the Anne Boleyn gate and then into the Clock Court where one enters the palace itself.
Above: Interior shot showing the ceiling which show the "HA" for Henry and Anne
To the left: Exterior shot of the Anne Boleyn Gate
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Here is a view of the clock court, showing the astronomical clock on the Anne Boleyn Gate. Unlike the Base Court, the Clock Court was paved. Going through the Anne Boleyn gate, one could climb the stairs inside and enter the Great Hall.
Another view of the Clock Court, this time showing the exterior of the Great Hall. As stated above, one must climb the stairs in the Anne Boleyn Gate to enter the Great Hall from here. This explains why the Great Hall is located on the 2nd floor, rather than the groud floor. The ground floor was used for kitchens, storage, lodgings, and other service needs.
The gardens of Hampton Court, as with all the Tudor palaces, were extremely important. Henry VIII took great pride in his gardens, as did his children later on. They would hold audiences in the gardens in summer, and use them not only for flowers, but for fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
Sadly, little remains of the Tudor gardens at Hampton court. Subsequent use of the gardens by later monarchs has destroyed most of the archaeological evidence, and few documents remain to shed light on the subject.
The "Tudor Garden" (or "Pond Garden") presently at Hampton Court is a much later addition from the 1920's. However it follows closely with the known evidence of Henrician gardens. Queen Mary II's gardens nearby were ponds in Tudor times, some evidence of which (such as some of the walls) still exist.
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To the left: View of the Garden
Begin the Interior Tour with the Tudor Kitchens
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