Bookable
An Apollonaut travel guide
Moments in a longer story.
Selected milestones in the history of Hampton Court Palace.
On this page
A cardinal, two dynasties and a palace
These dates describe the place you can learn about here. They are not a company timeline for Apollonaut.
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1515
Wolsey builds
Cardinal Wolsey begins building on the site he took over in 1514.
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1529
To the king
Wolsey gives the palace to Henry VIII.
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1532–1535
The Great Hall
Henry adds the Great Hall, with its hammerbeam roof.
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1537
A prince is born
The future Edward VI is born at the palace; Jane Seymour dies soon after.
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1540
The clock
The astronomical clock is installed on the gatehouse.
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1604
A conference
The Hampton Court Conference leads to the King James Version of the Bible.
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1689
Wren rebuilds
William III and Mary II begin a Baroque rebuilding by Christopher Wren.
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1690s
The maze
The maze is planted for William III.
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1838
Open to the public
Queen Victoria opens the palace to visitors.
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1986
Fire
A fire damages the King’s Apartments; restoration is completed in 1990.
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1992
The Privy Garden
The Privy Garden is replanted in its period style.
Follow the stories behind the dates
A timeline is a beginning. The longer history introduces the people and places; the sources below provide further context.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
Links lead to the original publishers.