We've had lovely almost-summery weather here for months. But as soon as my father steps off the plane from Australia the winter we never had decides to arrive. It's been so cold and wet and windy this past week you'd think we'd been plunged right back into January all over again. Still, the lousy weather didn't stop us from making a trip to Hampton Court Palace on Wednesday. This former royal palace is about 11 miles south-west of central London and was once home to Thomas Wolsey, Henry VIII, Oliver Cromwell and William III.
We caught the river boat from Westminster Pier and wended our way -- three long hours of it -- along the Thames following a 22 mile route (supposedly the longest regular scheduled boat service available from London). Gentle rain accompanied us for most of the way but we fortified ourselves with strongly brewed mugs of coffee. By the time we emerged at the other end we were hankering for something more substantial, so we headed to the Tiltyard Cafe for lunch. After a sandwich and the biggest slice of carrot cake you've ever seen, it was time to explore the castle and its 60 acres of riverside gardens.
One of our first ports of call was the fountain court, which resembles an immaculate green carpet, surrounded on all four sides by a colonnaded walk.
Beyond this lies the clock tower (pictured left) -- first built in 1478 then remodelled in 1528 -- which features an astronomical clock. The gateway beneath it is named after Anne Boleyn, the second wife of Henry VIII. I would have liked to have explored more of this part of the castle but it was pouring with rain -- I had to take this photograph from a sheltered spot under the eaves!
Then onto King Henry VIII's Tudor Kitchens. These comprise 55 rooms,
making it the largest
surviving example of a tudor kitchen in the world. You can take an
audio tour that demonstrates how the kitchen worked -- from delivery of
food to its preparation and serving -- which, at the height of its
operation in the 16th Century, fed 1,200 employees of the Royal Court
on a daily basis.
But I'm not one for audio tours, so I left Dad to it, while I
scampered around looking at the Georgian Rooms (used by George II and
Queen Caroline during their visit to the palace in 1737) and the
Queen's State
Apartments (created for Mary II). Unfortunately, photographs are not
allowed, so you'll just have to imagine the luxurious surrounds. That
said, I have to confess that the interiors of royal palaces bore me to
pieces. I've seen the inside of so many that the "wow" factor has long
since disappeared. I just can't get excited seeing four-poster beds and
Renaissance art on the walls any more! Blashphemy, I know.
I'm more interested in outdoor spaces -- courtyards and gardens and the little areas between buildings -- having studied landscape architecture, garden history and urban design in the past. So, despite the rain, I was quite happy to spend an hour exploring the grounds surrounding the castle with my camera at the ready.
I fell in love with the Privy Garden, which has recently been
restored to its early 18th century glory. It's very prim and proper,
with not a stone or leaf out of place. It comprises a series of
retangular parterres-- tightly clipped box hedges and gravel paths arranged to form a symmetrical pattern -- punctuated by beautiful white sculptures. The planting beds are filled with fragrant roses and lavendar bushes.
As attractive as I think it looks, garden critics have described it as dull and uninspired.
I'm not sure what they think of the other gardens (top right) which
are laid out in small enclosures. This one, I believe, is a
picture-perfect Elizabethan knot garden.
I took lots of other photographs -- way too many to share here -- but I hope this gives you some idea of the beauty of the palace and its gardens. This was my third visit -- and probably not my last. I know Dad enjoyed his time here -- but we were so exhausted after our boat journey and palace walkabout that we both almost fell asleep over our hard-earned beers at the riverside hotel across the road! We caught the train back home trying not to nod off so that we wouldn't miss our stop.
Oh, and as luck would have it, by the time we did get home the rain had long since gone away, the sky was a brilliant blue and the sun was shining brightly! Typical.
