Savoy Palace

Has been described as a Certain Palace (Royal)

There are no visible remains

NameSavoy Palace
Alternative NamesPeter of Savoys House; le Sauvey; Saveye; Savoye
Historic CountryLondon and Middlesex
Modern AuthorityLondon Borough of Westminster
1974 AuthorityGreater London
Civil ParishCity Of Westminster

Embattled palace licensed 1293, sacked by rebels in 1381. Survived until 1820. Site now occupied by Savoy Hotel.

The Savoy, so named of Peter Earle of Savoy, who there dwelt, which Queene Aeleonor wife to King Henrie the Third purchased of the fraternity of Mont-joy, and gave it to her sonne Edmund Earle of Lancaster. Whose posterity dwelt in it a long time untill that King Henrie the Seaventh dedicated it as an hospitall for the poore. (Camden)

1246 land of Brian de l'aisle granted to Peter of Savoy to build a palace. 1381 badly damaged due to the unpopularity of the then owner John of Gaunt and the site neglected. It came to the crown as part of the estate of the duchy of lancaster & was then put to various uses, including a prison. little is known of the buildings but there was a great hall, stables, chapel, cloister, river gate, garden & fish ponds. Site later rebuilt as hospital of St John (see 081295). it is possible that elements of the original palace may have survived into the 18th century and that the precinct was walled (it received a licence to crenelate in 1293). (Greater London HER)

The Savoy Palace was licensed in 1293 to be crenellated by Edmund of Lancaster, perhaps inaugurating a fashion in and around the city. Its 'houses, walls and enclosures' are mentioned in 1324. Henry of Lancaster's inquisition post mortem (1362) shows it comprised nine shops and 'the messuage called the "Saveye" '. This 'manor' was burned in the 1381 insurrection. (Coulson 1982)

Not scheduled

Not Listed

County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ305807
Latitude51.509708404541
Longitude-0.120039999485016
Eastings530500
Northings180700
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 293, 295, 304
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 240-3
  • Salter, Mike, 2002, Index and Amendments to Mike Salter's English Castles Books (Malvern: Folly Publications) p. 10
  • Schofield, J., 1994, Medieval London Houses (Yale University Press) p. 138
  • Weinreb, Ben and Hibbert, Christopher (eds), 1983 (rev edn 1993), The London Encyclopeadia (Macmillian) p. 773-4
  • James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby) p. 69, 114-5, 128, 153, 174
  • Somerville, R., 1960, The Savoy
  • Cowell, L.A., n.d. c. 1921, The Story of the Precinct of the Savoy
  • Chancellor, E. Beresford, 1912, The annals of the Strand (Chapman & Hall) p. 160
  • Loftie, W.J., 1878, Memorials of the Savoy
  • Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol. 1 (London) p. 63-70 online copy
  • Turner, T.H. and Parker, J.H., 1859, Some account of Domestic Architecture in England (Oxford) Vol. 3 Part 2 p. 404 online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Davis, Philip, 2010-11, 'Crenellated town houses in Medieval England' Castle Studies Group Journal Vol. 24 p. 270-91
  • Coulson, C., 1994, 'Freedom to Crenellate by Licence - An Historiographical Revision' Nottingham Medieval Studies Vol. 38 p. 124
  • Coulson, Charles, 1993 Aug, 'Specimens of Freedom to Crenellate by Licence' Fortress: The castles and fortifications quarterly Vol. 18 p. 3-15 (reprinted in Liddiard, Robert (ed), 2016, Late Medieval Castles (Boydell Press) p. 221-240)
  • Coulson, C., 1982, 'Hierarchism in Conventual Crenellation: an Essay in the Sociology and Metaphysics of Medieval Fortification' Medieval Archaeology Vol. 26 p. 98 n20 online copy
  • Cowie, L.W., 1974, 'The Savoy: palace and hospital' History Today Vol. 24:3 p. 173-9

Primary Sources

  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1895, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward I (1292-1301) Vol. 3 p. 30 online copy
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1904, Calendar of Patent Rolls Edward II (1324-27) Vol. 5 p. 4 online copy
  • Stamp, A.E.(ed), 1935, Calendar of Inquisitions Post Mortem Vol. 11 p. 232 online copy
  • CCR 1381-85, 7
  • Maxwell Lyte, H.C. (ed), 1920, Calendar of Close Rolls Richard II (1381-85) Vol. 2 p. 7 view online copy (requires subscription but searchable) [alternative online copy > http://contentdm.lib.byu.edu/u?/FHMedieval2,37948]