Eltham Palace was first inhabited as a royal residence in 1311 and frequented for the next four hundred years by successive monarchs, mainly for entertainment. As nearby Greenwich Palace came more into vogue during the Tudor period, Eltham was largely abandoned and nearly went derelict until it was rescued and restored by the Courtauld family in the 1930s. Today Eltham Palace provides a unique combination of the medieval and art deco, set in magnificent moated gardens. Between the two you can glimpse at how the great and good lived in style from the fourteenth century right up to the twentieth. King Edward II first used Eltham in 1311 as a royal residence. It was popular with generations of royalty due to its proximity to London and a succession of kings used it for hunting and entertaining. In its heyday only the Palace of Westminster surpassed it in importance..

Of the original palace the Great Hall with its hammerbeam roof is undoubtedly the crowning glory. Dating from the late fifteenth century it was used as a model for other great Tudor halls of the period including Hampton Court. Under the Tudor kings and queens the palace underwent numerous alterations.

The Royal apartments were made even more palatial. Henry VIII built a new chapel and Elizabeth I oversaw an improvement to her father's work by ordering a new facade for the same chapel. As was often the case with royalty during this period, trends and fashions were of high importance and royalty required new playthings to amuse them. So it was that Greenwich Palace, nearby on the Thames, rose to prominence and as it did so Eltham declined.

Over the next two hundred years Eltham Palace fell into disrepair but luckily the remains were saved from demolition in 1828. In the 1930s the Palace underwent a renaissance thanks to the Courtauld family. The famous textile family were well-known patrons and benefactors and Stephen Lewis Courtauld and his wife Virginia built a new country house adjoining the Great Hall. The interior is open to the public and both the house and its contents make a fascinating 1930s museum piece. The Courtaulds commissioned the leading designers of the day to decorate the house and many innovations were incorporated such as underfloor central heating. Outside beautiful landscaped gardens were laid out and part of the medieval moat was restored.

Facilities

Shop, toilets, tea room, guided tours, picnics welcome.

Opening Times

April - September: open Thursday Friday & Sunday 10am-6pm.
October - March: open Thursday Friday & Sunday 10am-4pm.

Tickets are available for the combined house and gardens or for either individually.

For further details call +44 (0)208 294 2548 during opening hours.

Tel: +44 (0)20 8856 5000 - Fax: +44 (0)20 8856 1117
Email: info@greenwich-letting.com © The Letting Company (Greenwich) Ltd. 1999 - 2006.