My sister and I are lucky enough to be lifetime members of both the National Trust and English Heritage thanks to gifts from our Grandparents when we were born. Throughout our lives, we have enjoyed using our membership to visit all manner of historical sites around the UK and recently I took the opportunity to tour the extraordinary Eltham Palace.
First recorded in the Domesday book (the ‘great survey’ of England completed in 1086 by order of King William the Conqueror) the medieval palace Eltham estate first belonged to Hamo, sheriff of Kent, on behalf of Bishop Odo of Bayeux, William the Conqueror’s half-brother.
It was presented to King Edward II in 1305 and over the years during its Royal ownership, the estate went through several rounds of improvement. The developments resulted in Eltham becoming one of the most favoured royal palaces with 1,000 acres of deer park on its doorstep. Famously Eltham was home to the future Henry VIII during his childhood, making it a Tudor royal residence.
Unfortunately, in 1648 Parliamentary troops stationed at Eltham ransack the palace and the royal park during the English Civil War leaving the estate in ruins until 1828 when the architect Sir Robert Smirke restored the Great Hall to its former glory before the Palace site is leased by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, in 1933 and they built a new house next to the medieval Great Hall.
The eccentric millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld transformed Eltham into a striking Art Deco mansion by incorporating the original medieval features into an otherwise ultra-modern 1930s lavish, extravagant design.
I begin my visit in the remarkable circular entrance hall complete with a mix of Art Deco and Swedish design and a dazzling decorative ceiling. I picked up an interactive guide and made my way through each of the rooms taking in the extraordinary design of each one. There is so much to take in and love at Eltham!
I particularly loved the panelled dining room characterised by geometric shapes and highly decorated doors, Virginia Courtauld’s breathtaking luxurious golden mosaic bathroom, the impressive medieval Great Hall and the centrally-heated sleeping quarters specially-designed for their pet lemur!
Sadly when I visited Eltham the wartime basement bunker was closed off due to flooding but I would love to go back and see the war-time collection of items showcased in the bunker.
There are 19 acres of beautiful historic gardens to explore in the Estate including the Rock Garden with its series of pools and cascades running down to the moat and the glorious sunken rose garden.
After exploring the house and gardens I was glad to visit the new glasshouse café for refreshments – happily, they had vegan sandwiches! The café offers hot and cold lunches, children’s sandwiches, afternoon cakes and hot and cold drinks all using fresh and local produce.
I really enjoyed my time at Eltham Palace with its fascinating Art Deco interior mixed with medieval features and packed with lavish touches. I also enjoyed learning more about the Courtauld family and how they restored the house and grounds and made their very own party Palace!
I certainly recommend a visit.
