CHAPTER XIII VANISHED PALACES

Besides the palaces whose stories have been related, there were at one time many other royal residences scattered over England. These have either entirely vanished, even their sites being problematical, or mere fragments of them alone remain. While England remained in an unsettled condition, with constant internal wars, the Kings were always moving about taking their Court with them, staying in their various castles or fortified houses. We find that Henry II., the first of the Plantagenet Kings, never stayed long in any place, generally moving on after a few days' visit. But when more settled times came, and the Parliament [pg 68] remained at Westminster, the King came to live longer in London or at one of his royal houses in the neighbourhood. Some of the country palaces were maintained on account of the hunting they afforded.

A few brief notes must suffice for these vanished palaces.

Baynards Castle was situated on the River Thames not far from St. Paul's. In 1461 the City of London tendered their allegiance to Edward, Duke of York (Edward IV.) at Baynards Castle, and by doing so secured his triumph. It became a royal house on the attainder of Humphrey, Duke of Gloucester, and was rebuilt by Henry VIII., but was seldom occupied by the sovereign. Queen Mary gave it to the Earl of Pembroke.

Baynards Castle in 1790.

Dartford Priory was turned into a house for the King after the dissolution of the monasteries. It is chiefly associated with King Henry VIII.'s fourth wife, Anne of Cleves, who lived there during the reign of Edward VI. and until her death in 1556. Queen Elizabeth occasionally visited it, but when it was found to need costly repairs James I. granted it to Robert, Earl of Salisbury.

Enfield Palace, though a Crown property from the time of Henry IV., was not used as a royal residence until the time of Henry VIII. Queen Elizabeth was at Enfield when Henry VIII. died, and she often visited it after she came to the Throne. It was sold to the Earl of Pembroke in 1641.

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Hatfield House was acquired by Henry VIII., whose daughter, Queen Elizabeth, lived there during her sister's reign. James I. persuaded Sir Robert Cecil to accept it in exchange for his house at Theobalds.

Havering-atte-Bower Palace stood near Romford, in Essex. It was the country palace of Edward the Confessor, and was afterwards occupied by various Queens, some of whom died there. James I. let it to the Earl of Oxford.

Kempton Park was often used by the Plantagenet Kings up till the time of Richard II. Henry VIII. ordered it to be taken down, using the building materials for his new palace of Whitehall.

King's Langley, in Hertfordshire, was Crown land from the fourteenth century, the manor being last held by Charles I., who presented it to Sir Charles Morrison.

Nonsuch Palace.

From an engraving by Houfnagle.

Nonsuch Palace at Cheam, in Surrey, was built by Henry VIII., who had obtained the land in 1538. The Earl of Arundel, to whom Queen Mary gave the palace, completed the building, which was still unfinished. It was a most unusual structure, almost fantastic with its bas-reliefs and gilded cupolas, and quite unlike the Tudor mansion of the period. Queen Elizabeth often visited Arundel, who entertained his royal mistress in lavish manner. She afterwards bought the estate, which James I. settled upon his wife. Charles II. gave it as [pg 70] a present to Barbara, Duchess of Cleveland, who pulled it down.

Oatlands, near Weybridge, in Surrey, was the site of a palace erected by Henry VIII., who also enclosed a park. It was occasionally visited by Henry VIII.'s successors, down to the time of the Civil War, when it was destroyed.

Savoy Palace, about 1650.

From an etching by Hollare.

Richmond Palace, the much-loved residence of the Tudors, received its name from Henry VII., who had been known as Henry of Richmond after the town in Yorkshire, before he came to the Throne. The first house was destroyed by Richard II. when his wife died there in 1394, but Henry VII. rebuilt it, dying there in 1509. Queen Elizabeth was often at the palace, where she died in 1603.

Savoy Palace obtained its name from Peter of Savoy, the uncle of Queen Eleanor, the wife of Henry III., who resided there. It was bought back again by [pg 71] Queen Eleanor, who handed it on to Edmund, Earl of Lancaster, from whose family it returned again to the Crown, by the marriage of John of Gaunt to Blanche of Lancaster. The captive King John of France spent some years of his life there.

Somerset House was built by the Protector Somerset, who ruthlessly destroyed churches and houses to obtain a site on the river. After his execution, it came to the Crown, and was afterwards used as part of the Queen's dowry, Catharine of Braganza being the last Queen to live in the palace. In 1775 it was converted into a Public Office; Buckingham Palace, just acquired by George III., being settled upon the Queen.

Theobalds, on the borders of Hertfordshire, was built by Robert Cecil, Lord Burleigh, who often entertained Queen Elizabeth, an honour which cost him ￡2,000 a visit. James I. was so delighted with it when he came there on his royal progress from Scotland, that he induced his host to let him have it in exchange for Hatfield. He was frequently there, enjoying the hunting in the neighbourhood, and died there in 1625, his son Charles being proclaimed at the gate. At the Civil War it was much damaged, afterwards being parcelled out among some Parliamentarian officers. The last remains disappeared in 1766.

Winchester Castle was built, according to tradition, by Arthur, and was constantly used by the early English Kings. It was the birthplace of Henry III., and Parliament assembled there occasionally until the fifteenth century. Henry V. was the last King to reside there. In the time of the Commonwealth it came into the possession of Sir William Waller, from whom the Corporation bought it.

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Woodstock, in Oxfordshire, was a royal manor when the Domesday survey was made. It was at Woodstock that Queen Eleanor, the wife of Henry II., discovered the Fair Rosamond, daughter of Lord Clifford, who was so much loved by her royal master. Much of the story is probably legend; she was certainly not murdered by the jealous Queen, but died in Godstow nunnery. Edward III. and Queen Philippa were much attached to the palace, where their eldest son, the Black Prince, was born. After Wyatt's rebellion, Queen Elizabeth was guarded there as a prisoner. James I. liked it for the hunting it afforded, and Charles I. was often there during his reign, especially when his army was at Oxford during the Civil War. It fell into ruin after the war, and the estate was given to the Duke of Marlborough after his famous victory at Blenheim. The architect of Blenheim Palace wished to save the ruins which still remained, but the Duchess of Marlborough declared that they spoilt the view, and so swept them away completely in 1723.