Royal Palaces in England: 1500-1830

The British royal family has a collection of palaces with histories stretching back centuries. Some are still royal residences, a few are very private; many are open to the public and display superb furnishings and works of art from the Royal Collection.
Windsor Castle, a vast medieval fortress on the River Thames, is one of the oldest buildings in Europe which has been continuously inhabited; it combines being a much-loved royal home and a magnificent setting for state events. The origins of St James’s Palace lie in a leper hospital becoming a royal residence under Henry VIII. Other buildings were taken over by the Crown from private owners, such as Whitehall Palace in London and Hampton Court outside London, both belonging previously to Cardinal Wolsey in the early 16th century. Some were more private retreats, such as Kensington Palace in west London, where a smaller household meant less ceremonial and greater privacy.
This Royal history course will look at a range of buildings from late medieval to the early 19th century. The talks will focus on their architectural and social history, and we will look at the formation of the royal art collection and how it was used.