Page 73 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Europe

L ONDON  71

h Richmond
and Kew
SW15. 1 Kew Gardens, Richmond.
4 to Kew Bridge, Richmond.
The attractive village of
Richmond took its name from a
palace built in 1500 by Henry VII
(formerly the Earl of Richmond),
the remains of which can be seen
off the green. The vast Richmond
Park was once Charles I’s royal
hunting ground. In summer,
boats sail from central London
to Richmond and Kew.
The nobility continued to An aerial view of the impressive Hampton Court Palace
favor Richmond after royalty
had left, and some of their P Ham House to the king. The palace was
mansions have survived. The Ham St, Ham. Tel 020-940 1950. extended by Henry, and again
Palladian villa, Marble Hill Open Apr–Oct: Sat–Thu. Gardens, at the end of the 17th century
House, was completed in 1729 shop & café: Open daily. & 8 by William III and Mary II, with
for the mistress of George II. Y Kew Gardens the help of Christopher Wren.
On the opposite side of the Kew. Tel 020-8332 5655. 1 Kew From the outside, the palace
Thames, Ham House, built in Gardens. @ 65, 237, 267, 391, 419. is a harmonious blend of Tudor
1610 for Sir Thomas Vavasour Open 10am–6:30pm daily. Closed and English Baroque. A
(Knight Marshal to James I), Dec 24, 25. & 7 0 ∑ kew.org remarkable feature is the
had its heyday later that Astronomical Clock, created
century when the aristocratic for Henry VIII in 1540.
Lauderdale family moved in. Inside, Wren’s Classical royal
Ham was extended and rooms, such as the King’s
refurbished as a palatial villa, Apartments, contrast with Tudor
reflecting the Duke of architecture, such as the Great
Lauderdale’s status as one of Hall. The stained-glass window
Charles II’s most powerful here shows Henry VIII flanked
ministers. Much of this luxurious Deer grazing in Richmond Park, a former by the coats of arms of his six
interior decor remains. royal hunting ground wives. Superb woodwork in the
On the riverbank to the south, Chapel Royal, including the
Kew Gardens, the most massive reredos by Grinling
complete botanic gardens in the j Hampton Court Gibbons, dates from a major
world, is flawlessly maintained, East Molesey, Surrey. Tel 0844-482 refurbishment by Queen Anne
with examples of nearly every 7777. £ 4 Hampton Court. (c.1711). In the Queen’s Gallery,
plant that can be grown in @ 111, 216, 411, 451, 461, R68. where entertainments were
Britain. Highlights are the Palm Open 10am–6pm daily (to 4:30pm often staged, the marble
House, with thousands of exotic in winter). Closed Dec 24–26. & chimneypiece is by John Nost.
tropical blooms, and the delicate 8 7 0 = ∑ hrp.org.uk Many of the state apartments
plants of the Temperate House. are decorated with furniture,
The Gardens became a UNESCO Cardinal Wolsey, chief minister paintings, and tapestries from
World Heritage Site in 2003. Near to Henry VIII, began building the Royal Collection. The King’s
the river, the London Museum Hampton Court in 1514. A few Staircase has wall paintings by
of Water and Steam is housed in years later, in the hope of Antonio Verrio. Nine canvases
an old water-pumping station. retaining royal favor, he gave it depicting the Triumph of Julius
Caesar (1490) are housed in the
Mantegna Gallery.
The restored Baroque privy
garden, originally created for
William and Mary, features
radiating avenues of majestic
limes and formal flowerbeds.
The Fountain Garden still has
a few yews planted during
their reign. Other attractions
are the maze and the Great
The distinctive Palm House at London’s famous Kew Gardens Vine, planted in 1768.

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