Hampton Court

September 30

We needed to pick up our London Passes this morning and the spot didn't open until 10 AM. We took the Tube to Leicester Square and then followed the instructions to the redemption centre, passing the Garrick Theatre, among others.

The passes would give us entry to museums and transit anywhere as far as Windsor, after 9:30 AM. After picking up the passes, we got back on the Tube and headed for Waterloo station. The trains to Hampton Court leave on the hour and on the half, so we didn't have too long to wait before the next train showed up. It was quite crowded for the 30 minute ride to Hampton Court.

We spent the next six hours of so going through all the sections of Hampton Court. The palace was constructed by Cardinal Wolsey, but ten years after its completion, Wolsey had to turn it over to Henry when he was unable to get a divorce for Henry from Katherine of Aragon.

Hampton Court

Great Hall

We started off in Henry’s kitchens where they showed how the meals were prepared during the time of Henry VIII. We then went through his apartments, including the Great Hall, with tapestries that cost as much as Henry’s naval fleet. We were told that carvers worked through the nights to finish the ceilings in time for the wedding of Henry and Anne Boleyn.

We had lunch in the Privy Kitchen Café, where April had a sausage in a bun, but I had a King’s beef and ale pie. The food was great.

Privy Kitchen

We then toured the section that was completed in the time of William and Mary who commissioned Christopher Wren to rebuild the palace. We toured William III’s Apartments and the Georgian Private Apartments. The original plan was to demolish everything except the Great Hall, but there wasn't enough money for this. Grinling Gibbons carved the elaborate fireplaces throughout these rooms.

We were able to see the special exhibit, The Wild, The Beautiful, and the Damned. These were the paintings of the women of the court of Charles II and today was the last day of the exhibit. Various court beauties, in dress of the day, dressed as Greek goddesses, or not dressed at all, were painted by the likes of Peter Lely.  These pictures were often for the King’s personal rooms. 

Queen's Staircase

Candle Sconces

As it was Sunday, services were being held in the Chapel Royal. The chapel is in very much the same state as when Henry VIII lived there and has been in continuous use for more than 450 years. We were able to sit in on the Choral Evensong service at 3:30. We actually got to sit in the pews right behind the choir, women on one side of the chapel, men on the other. Among other hymns, they sang the Magnificat in C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LUWKSTysnpg and Nunc dimittis in C http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsnBDU0RTNM, both by Sanford, and Howell’s Like as the hart http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmtsuJvp7YU.

Wren Fountain

After the services, we walked back to the station and the train was there, waiting for us! We were back at Waterloo station about 5:45.  We then decided we would have dinner at Ye Olde Watling, built in the 17^th century from ships’ timbers. Unfortunately, all the pubs and restaurants in the area were closed, being Sunday night in the commercial district. With no little grocery shops open either; we went back to the flat, reconciled to having tea and toast. We decided to help ourselves to some of the pasta from the flat owners' pantry, which we would reimburse once we found a Marks & Spencers or Tesco’s. It was pretty bland as there was no sauce, but it filled us up.  Hardly the Jamie Oliver delicacies from the previous night!

Tomorrow April is going to stay around the flat and I am heading out for a marathon art gallery day – National Gallery for sure, and perhaps Tate Britain and the Wallace Collection as well. I have to be back to the flat around 4 or 4:30 as we have tickets for Simon Callow’s one man play, The Mystery of Charles Dickens, at the Playhouse Theatre.