Afternoon visit - Hampton Court Palace

Drove to Richmond to look around Hampton Court Palace on a lovely, if a bit warm, afternoon.

Hampton Court Palace was the home of Henry VIII, his family and followers 500 years ago. Henry’s six queens and three children all lived there, and another ten rulers after them. It was a place dedicated to royal pleasure and flamboyant display.

It is a riverside treasure house of art and stories and is part Tudor and part Baroque in architectural design. Once the exclusive preserve of monarchs, it is now available for all to enjoy. There were plenty of people wandering around this massive castle and grounds when we were there. Richmond, where it is located, is a very busy, trendy place.

We had a snack in the cafe at the Palace so decided to dine in for dinner. After a wine in the lovely little back yard, what could be better than beans on toast!

I was working on the blog sometime around 10.30pm when I got a fright from a very loud bang. It was the start a fireworks display on the Thames nearby. Seems it was part of a show but I got to see the display free from the bathroom window.Read more