Henry VIII’s Astronomical Clock

500 years old and still pretty accurate! 
The great bell in the tower above it was inherited from the late medieval manor house that once stood on this site now occupied by Hampton Court Palace.

We caught a dedicated train from Surbiton station, quite an interesting Art Deco building itself, after breakfast and arrived two stops later at Hampton Court at 10.02. Perfect as it opened at 10.00 am.

If I said yesterday that I’d always wanted to visit Wisley I have been even more keen to visit Hampton Court. With glorious sunshine from the off it was a perfect day for it too.

We used the audio guides included and started with the Henry VIII’s  kitchens and apartments tour which I have to say was my main interest. Costumed volunteers were in the kitchen cooking beef over an open fire. It was going to take 4 hours of turning the spit by hand! They did get to swap but maybe back in the day they wouldn’t.
Thomas Wolsey had acquired Hampton Court and created a palace to entertain the King presenting it to him in 1525.
All 6 of Henry’s wives were here at some point.

We went on to look at the Georgian apartments and then, a bit out of sync, we followed the William III’s tour. William, Mary and later Queen Anne were here in the late 17th and early 18th century and Christopher Wren designed the great South Front and the Privy Garden which it overlooks. He also designed the East Front and apartments for George I and his son George II and Queen Caroline brought them to life.

Lovely courtyards, the clock is unsurprisingly in the Clock Courtyard, gardens, fountains, the Long Water, the TiltYard, now a rose garden and of course the Maze. We took a look but as it was well into the afternoon we didn’t go in.

(The Royal School of Needlework has a base here with a very nice shop!)

I wasn’t at all disappointed by this amazing place, I’ve chosen Henry’s clock for my blip but I do love those chimneys! Extra

We got the train back to pick up our car and had a good journey back with just a short delay looking for petrol before hitting the motorways.



We’ve had a really good break, lots of varied interest and the most amazing weather, that’s the South East for you!