Eltham Palace, Greenwich, Greater London
A view of Eltham just before the major demolitions in 1650. Eltham Palace is one of the few important medieval royal palaces in England to survive with substantial remains intact. Initially it was a moated manor house with vast parkland, it was acquired by the future Edward II in 1305. Under Edward IV significant changes were made, most notably the addition of the Great Hall in the 1470s which is still visible today. Henry VIII was the last monarch to spend substantial amounts of money or time at Eltham and in the 16th century the Palace was eclipsed by Greenwich Palace and declined rapidly. The palace fell into disrepair during the 17th century and suffered considerable damage during the Civil War. In 1651 it was bought by Nathaniel Rich who demolished most of the buildings. The palace reverted to the Crown in 1660, but by this time the remaining buildings were in ruins. English Heritage assumed management of the palace in 1995 and in 1999 completed a major programme of repairs to and restoration of the 1930s interiors and gardens.
