Queen Elizabeths Hunting Lodge, Chingford

Has been described as a Questionable Palace (Royal)

There are major building remains

NameQueen Elizabeths Hunting Lodge, Chingford
Alternative NamesGreat Standing; Great Standynge
Historic CountryEssex
Modern AuthorityLondon Borough of Waltham Forest
1974 AuthorityGreater London
Civil ParishChingford

A former hunting lodge, completed in 1543 for Henry VIII and repaired in 1589. The building was converted to a dwelling in 1666. Owned by the Corporation of London since 1878 and used as a museum. The building is of three storeys and has a timber frame with plaster infill under a pitched tiled roof. Restored circa 1900 and circa 1990. (PastScape)

Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, originally known as the Great Standing, was built for Henry VIII in 1543. It was constructed as a grandstand or platform that allowed guests both to view the hunt from a high vantage point, participate by shooting their crossbows from the upper floors and a venue for royal Tudor 'corporate hospitality' to show off the wealth and power of the king. (Liza Gazeley, 2010, City of London website)

Gatehouse Comments

Descheduled as Ancient Monument in 1999. This does not seem to have been a residential building but purely a viewing platform so presumably used when court was in residence elsewhere ?Waltham Abbey or a London Palace. This is probably the nearest hunting forest to London and Westminster.

- Philip Davis

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 2* listed building protected by law

Historic England Scheduled Monument Number
Historic England Listed Building number(s)
Images Of England
Historic England (PastScape) Defra or Monument number(s)
County Historic Environment Record
OS Map Grid ReferenceTQ397947
Latitude51.6344604492188
Longitude0.0174899995326996
Eastings539720
Northings194770
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink
Copyright Ian Chilton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Ian Chilton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Ian Chilton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image
Copyright Ian Chilton and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons license.View full Sized Image

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Books

  • Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works, Vol. 4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p. 16
  • Powell, W.R., 1966, VCH Essex Vol. 5 p. 108 online transcription
  • RCHME, 1921, An inventory of the historical monuments in Essex Vol. 2 (central and south-west) p. 50-1 no. 5 (plan) online transcription

Journals

  • 1975, Sussex Archaeological Collections Vol. 113 p. 194