Richmond Palace

Has been described as a Certain Palace (Royal)

There are masonry ruins/remnants remains

NameRichmond Palace
Alternative NamesRichemont; Sheen Palace; Shene
Historic CountrySurrey
Modern AuthorityLondon Borough of Richmond upon Thames
1974 AuthorityGreater London
Civil ParishRichmond And Kew

Formerly known as Sheen Palace until partially destroyed by fire and rebuilt and renamed by Henry VII. South-West London Archaeological Unit SMR considers it likely that the ground plan of the new building was almost identical with the old. Apparently moated (moat mentioned in 16th century texts). although moat of sheen palace supposedly filled on extension of apartments by Henry VII, section of moat (excavated 1972) was "not an original feature of the tudor palace". However the whole moat need not be of the same date. Layout of palace conjectured as ab lock of state apartments overlooking the river and arranged around a small courtyard. To the north east stood the fountain court flanked by the great hall and chapel, kitchen and ancillary block to north west of hall. Palace sold 1650 and by 1660 the ruins were divided into 27 tenements. Part excavated by P Dixon for DOE in 1972. (Greater London HER)

The remains of Richmond Palace built by Henry VII in 1499-1501 on the site of the manor-house of Sheen established by at least 1125. Two royal residences had previously stood on the site. The first was probably built by Edward III who died there in 1377. This royal residence was destroyed by Richard II in 1395 following the death of Queen Anne there in 1394. The second was built by Henry V between 1413 and 1422. Richmond was his principal residence, but the palace was destroyed by fire in 1497, to be then rebuilt by Henry VII. Henry VII died at Richmond in 1509 and although Henry VIII took possession of the palace he did not make so much use of it as his father, preferring Whitehall and Hampton Court Palaces. His wife Anne of Cleves was bestowed Richmond and occupied it from 1540-47, and Queen Elizabeth I died there in 1603. From the 17th century the palace was used less frequently by the royal family and it began to be demolished with several new buildings constructed

These were part of a new schema for Richmond and Kew Parks and included the early 18th century houses; The Wardrobe and the Trumpeter's House, now private residences. All that remains of Henry VII's Tudor palace is the main palace gateway and the old courtyard which is now known as Old Palace yard. The arms of Henry VII have been restored and have been repositioned above the gateway arch. The plan of the palace is known from Wyngaerde's drawings and other documentary evidence and included a great court and a large royal apartment block next to the river Thames. A privy garden and orchard were enclosed by the palace's walls. (PastScape)

The Old Palace and The Gatehouse. Incorporates the remains of Henry VII's Palace of 1501. The present buildings now 2 houses mainly C18 and C19. Built in dark red brick and battlemented with an octagonal turret, and projecting bays at either end and in the centre. Early C19 square headed Tudor Gothic windows. To the right is the original Palace Gateway (now giving entrance to Old Palace Yard) with the recently restored arms of Henry VII in a stone porch above the arch and a room over which is now part of The Gatehouse. The Old Palace is approached from the Green; the Gatehouse by canopied door just inside the Palace archway. (Listed Building Report)

Not scheduled

This is a Grade 1 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 ReferenceTQ175749
Latitude51.4611701965332
Longitude-0.308880001306534
Eastings517580
Northings174920
HyperLink HyperLink HyperLink

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Books

  • Anthony Emery, 2016, Seats of power in Europe during the Hundred Years War: an architectural study from 1330 to 1480 (Oxbow Books) p. 270-1
  • Goodall, John, 2011, The English Castle 1066-1650 (Yale University Press) p. 38, 340, 348, 350, 356, 366, 388, 404, 415, 423
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses of England and Wales Vol. 3 Southern England (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press) p. 246-8
  • Cloake, John, 2000, Richmond Palace: its history and its plan (Richmond Local History Society)
  • Cooper, Nicholas, 1999, Houses of the Gentry, 1480-1680 (Yale University Press) p. 65, 96, 301
  • Beckett, Neil, 1995, 'Henry VII and Sheen Charterhouse' in Thompson, Benjamin (ed.), The reign of Henry VII: proceedings of the 1993 Harlaxton symposium (Harlaxton Medieval Studies, 5; Paul Watkins medieval studies 19) p. 117-32
  • Cloake, J., 1995, Palaces and Parks of Richmond and Kew Vol. 1, The Palaces of Sheen and Richmond (Chichester: Phillimore)
  • Thurley, Simon, 1993, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England (Yale University Press)
  • James, T.B., 1990, The Palaces of Medieval England (London; Seaby)
  • Colvin, H.M., 1986, 'Royal Gardens in Medieval England' in Elisabeth MacDougall (ed) Medieval Gardens (Washington D.C.) p. 15, 16
  • 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. 222-234
  • Knowles, David and Hadcock, R Neville, 1971, Medieval religious houses in England and Wales (Longman)
  • Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol. 2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p. 994-1002
  • Pevsner, N., 1962, Buildings of England: Surrey (London, Penguin) p. 371
  • Clinch and Montgomerie, 1911, Malden, H.E. (ed), VCH Surrey Vol. 3 p. 533-6 online transcription
  • Bell, A.G., 1907, The Royal Manor of Richmond with Petersham, Ham and Kew (London) online copy
  • Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol. 1 (London) p. 133-9 online copy

Antiquarian

Journals

  • Cowie, Robert and Cloake, John, 2001, 'An archaeological survey of Richmond Palace, Surrey' Post-Medieval Archaeology Vol. 35 p. 3-52
  • Cloake, John, 1999, 'The plan of Richmond Palace' Richmond history: journal of the Richmond Society History Section Vol. 20
  • Cloake, John, 1998, 'The Time Team Dig at Richmond Palace' Richmond history: journal of the Richmond Society History Section Vol. 19
  • Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' The Archaeological Journal Vol. 143 p. 320, 321
  • Cloake, John, 1981, 'The existing remains of Richmond Palace' Richmond history: journal of the Richmond Society History Section Vol. 2
  • Dixon, Philip, 1975, 'Excavations at Richmond Palace, Surrey' Post-Medieval Archaeology Vol. 9 p. 103-16
  • Turner, D.J., 1974, 'Moated Sites in Surrey: a provisional List' Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol. 71 p. 89-100 online copy
  • 1973, 'Post-Medieval Britian in in 1972' Post-Medieval Archaeology Vol. 7 p. 108-9
  • Barkas, A.A., 1920, 'Notes - Richmond: a discovery at Wardrobe Court' Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol. 33 p. 117-9 online copy
  • Hilditch, J.B., 1907, 'Reports of Proceedings' Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol. 20 p. 21-5 online copy
  • Hart, W.H., 1871, 'The Parliamentary Surveys of Richmond, Wimbledon, and Nonsuch, in the county of Surrey, AD 1649' Surrey Archaeological Collections Vol. 5 p. 76-103

Other

  • Time Team (Mike Aston et al), 1998 (1st broadcast), 'Richmond' Time Team TV Programme (Time Team, a Videotext/Picture House production for Channel 4) View online
  • Gater, J. and Harvey, L., 1997, Geophysical Survey at Richmond Palace (Geophysical Surveys of Bradford (GSB Prospection)) online copy