Hampton Court:
I took a London Walks tour to Hampton Court. The guide, named Chris was very good. Hampton court is about 40 minutes ride by train from London, and the palace is just across the river (the Thames) from the railway station.
It was built by Cardinal Woolsy, who was then a very powerful man, of red bricks and has lots of chimneys -- which was a novelty at the time.
Each chimney is deferent. Until then the smoke from a fire that was in the middle of the room, came out through a hole in the roof. Woolsey was the first to build with chimneys. When Henry VIII took the palace from him, after he failed to solve "The King's Great Matter" -- to arrange Henry's divorce from Queen Catherine, he returned to have fire at the middle of the room.
As it was Christmas time, the palace was all decorated, and full of actors and musicians wearing period clothing.
On the walls of the main hall are the Abraham Tapestries, which show the story of Isaac's circumcision and the sacrifice of Isaac. The Tapestries were woven in Holland, of threads of gold and silver.
Anne Boleyn, Henry's second wife, lived in the palace a very short time (she stayed more in Greenwich), before her beheading.
Jane Seymour -- Henry's third wife also lived in the palace for a short time before her death at giving birth to Henry's only son. Because she was the mother of the Prince -- only her pictures were displayed in the palace -- even though they were all painted after her death.
Anne of Cleves was married to Henry VIII only for an hour before they divorced - He never saw her until after the wedding -- only pictures were exchanged between them. When they met in real life and saw the pictures were very far from reality they decided on a divorce -- but she remained to live in the palace -- being an aunt to Henry's children.
Kathryn Howard, Henry's 5th wife, cheated on him, and Henry found out, and first locked her up in a room in the palace, but she escaped running screaming through a hallway -- which is said to still be haunted by her -- she was seen running screaming through it.
She was taken to the Tower of London -- and was beheaded there.
After seeing the haunted corridor (but no ghost) -- we went down to the kitchens and saw how cooking was done when Henry lived in the palace.
From there I went out into the garden and tried the maze -- I did get lost -- but I followed the rule of solving mazes -- just turn right all the time (and if you reach a dead end turn left once and then continue with the right) -- and I got out.
Links: London walks
Start: Paddington Tube (Circle or District Line).
End: Same.
