Palace of Whitehall

The Palace of Whitehall was the main residence of the English monarchs in London from 1530 until 1698 when all except Inigo Jones' 1622 Banqueting House was destroyed by fire. Before the fire it had grown to be the largest palace in Europe, with over 1,500 rooms.

The palace today

The 1622 Banqueting House is the only building now remaining, although it has been somewhat modified. However, various other features of the old palace still exist, including a former covered tennis court from the time of Henry VIII in the Cabinet Office at 70 Whitehall.

Related Topics:
Cabinet Office - Whitehall

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Beginning in 1938, the east side of the site was redeveloped with the building now housing the Ministry of Defence. An undercroft from Wolsey's Great Chamber, now known as Henry VIII's Wine Cellar survives in the basement of this building, having been relocated nine feet to the west and nearly 19 feet deeper, when building was resumed at the site shortly after World War II.

Related Topics:
1938 - Ministry of Defence - Wolsey's - World War II

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

A number of marble carvings from the former chapel at Whitehall (which was built for James II), can now be seen in the church at Burnham on Sea in Somerset, to where they were moved in 1820 after having originally been removed to Westminster Abbey in 1706.

Related Topics:
Burnham on Sea - Somerset - 1820 - Westminster Abbey - 1706

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~