Hampton Court Palace: Surrey KT8 9AU
Where is it? Click here for map and directions
For centuries Hampton Court Palace was home to some of Britain's most famous kings and queens, many of whom have left their mark on both the stunning exterior and the opulent interior. Come and discover this unique treasure house of British history, where 500 years of embellishments will leave you spellbound.
For details, see the Hampton
Court Website
Visitor Information
• Opening Hours
• How To Get There
• Tickets
• Restaurants
• Enquiries
| Dates | Days | Opening Times |
Last Admissions |
| 25/3/01- 27/10/01 |
Mon | 10.15 am | 5.15 pm |
| Tues - Sun | 9.30 am | 5.15 pm | |
| 28/10/01 -1/3/01 |
Mon | 10.15 am | 3.45 pm |
| Tues - Sun | 9.30 am | 3.45 pm |
Note
Open every day, except 24-26 December. The palace closes 45 minutes after the
last admission. Please allow at least 2-3 hours for your visit.
Tickets may be purchased at the palace or in advance from any South West Trains station.
Admission prices
Adults £10.80
Students and senior citizens £8.30
Children under 16 £7.20
Children under 5 Free
Family Ticket £32.20 (up to 2 adults and 3 children)
Joint ticket with The Tower of London
A joint ticket to both the Tower of London and Hampton Court Palace can also be purchased at the Ticket Office.
Adults £19.00
Child £12.50
Students and senior citizens £14.50
Family Ticket £55.50 (up to 2 adults and 3 children)
Groups
Groups (15 or more paying visitors arriving together) can benefit from the group rate. There is a separate group ticket desk in the main Ticket Office. If you book and pay for the tickets in advance, a further discount is available. Telephone 020 8781 9554, Monday to Friday, 09.00 to 17.00.
Adults £9.95
Child £6.60
Students and senior citizens £7.60
How To Get There
Car: From the M25 take either exit 10
on to A307 or exit
12 on to A308. Also accessible via A3 then A309.Parking is available.
Train: 30 minutes direct from London Waterloo to Hampton Court on South
West Trains (see map below).
River Boat: From Westminster, Richmond or Kingston, summer only.
Bus: 411, 111, 216, 451, 461, 416, 513, 726, R68. 267 (summer Sundays
only). Green Line Coach from Victoria: 718.
Restaurants & Shops
Choose from the Tiltyard Tearoom or
the Privy Kitchen Coffee Shop. There are also a number of ice cream kiosks open
in the summer or you can bring a picnic. The gift shops offer a wide range of
souvenirs.
Enquiries
For details of admission charges,
group rates, season tickets and facilities for disabled visitors, please call
020 8781 9500 or visit www.hrp.org.uk
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| Royal Residents |Visitor Information | |
The Grounds
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Riverside Gardens
The Maze & Great Vine
Courtyards & Cloisters
Costumed Guides
Immaculately restored and presented to perfection, the 60 acres of gardens that run alongside the River Thames create the perfect setting for this fairytale palace.
The winding paths of the world-famous maze cover over 1,350 sq metres - or more, depending on your sense of direction. Hampton Court Palace is also home to the world's oldest known vine which still produces up to 700lbs (318kgs) of grapes each year.
The buildings of Hampton Court Palace cover an area of over six acres. Once inside, you'll discover many courtyards and cloisters, decorated with gargoyles, coats of arms and Henry VIII's Astronomical Clock.
There are six routes to follow around the
palace, so don't be surprised if you bump into someone from the past! Dressed in
full traditional costume, our entertaining guides will transport you back
through 500 years of history.
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| Royal Residents |Visitor Information | |
The Palace
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The Great Indoors
Royal Residents
Rooms & Apartments
To appreciate the day-to-day reality of living
and working in the palace, you simply have to go inside. Explore the endless
corridors, vast kitchens, grand apartments and lavish bedrooms, with stunning
tapestries and sparkling chandeliers exactly as they would have been when the
palace was a royal residence. Join a free guided tour or take one of our audio
tours (available in six languages) and hear for yourself what life was like
inside the greatest palace in Britain.
Royal Residents
1514
Thomas Wolsey is made Archbishop of York and takes up residence at Hampton
Court.
1528
Henry VIII forces Wolsey to surrender the ownership of the palace to him.
1537
Henry VIII's only son, Edward VI, is born here and christened in the Chapel
Royal. His mother, Jane Seymour dies days later.
1604
James I presides over the Hampton Court Conference, resulting in the institution
of the Authorised (King James) Version of the Bible.
1647
During the Civil War, Charles I is imprisoned here by Oliver Cromwell's army. He
escapes three months later.
1653
Oliver Cromwell is proclaimed Lord Protector of the Commonwealth and comes to
live at Hampton Court Palace.
1689
William III commissions Sir Christopher Wren to demolish Henry VIII's lodgings
and build a new palace more to his liking.
1702
William III falls from his horse in the palace grounds and later dies at
Kensington Palace.
1716
The Prince and Princess of Wales take up residence at Hampton Court Palace.
1737
Queen Caroline dies, consequently the King never visits the palace again with
the full court.
1838
Queen Victoria opens Hampton Court Palace to the public.
Rooms & Apartments
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The Wolsey Rooms & Renaissance Picture Gallery
Hampton Court Palace is home to one of the
greatest collections of Renaissance paintings in England, housed in a series of
small, Tudor rooms.
The Tudor Kitchens
With over 1,000 meals served each day, the kitchens were usually the busiest part of the palace. Today, you can see for yourself how these great feasts were prepared.
Henry VIII's State Apartments
Hampton Court was Henry VIII's favourite palace, and he lavished money and affection on its embellishment. The impressive results can still be admired in the Chapel Royal and the Great Hall.
The King's Apartments
The State Apartments of William III were restored after the great fire of 1986
and still contain all their original and extremely fine paintings, tapestries
and furniture.
William III's Private Apartments
The King's Private Apartments reveal a more personal and intimate side of the
palace, away from the pomp and ceremony of public life.
The Queen's State Apartments
These rooms took thirty years to complete and the results are breathtaking. Hung
with rich tapestries and paintings, they also offer stunning views over the
gardens and park.
The Georgian Rooms
A fascinating insight into the private lives of George II and Queen Caroline,
the Georgian Rooms are furnished today as they were in 1737 during the final
visit of the royal court.