I shall miss the early morning meetings of birds opposite our mooring, swans and cygnets, canada geese, mallards and a great crested grebe ...
... and this cheeky crow that pinched 3 croissant from a plastic bag left unattended on the boat in front!
I spent a good couple of hours wandering around Hampton Court Palace yesterday. I love the old buildings and their uses ...
Fish Court was built as a narrow, tall alley so that the sun didn’t penetrate fully and so keep the fish cold and fresh for longer
I know a lot of boaters including ourselves, who would like just a portion of this gold for winter fires!
Henry VIII’s kitchen fire was burning with a rather elaborate stone behind to protect the wall ...
... and with the fire guard in attendance!
The kitchen was busy as the cooks prepared food from old Tudor recipes. The chap on the right is mincing pork and making a fried pork pie - the raw meat goes into the pastry case and is then fried.
I also visited the newly discovered Chocolate Kitchen ...
... used by Thomas Tosier personal chocolate maker to Kings George I and George II
Hampton Court’s magnificent clock shows the hours, days of the week and month, the tides and moon’s phases as well as the signs of the zodiac, all set to show the sun travelling around the earth.
A large part of the Tudor buildings are under wraps as conservation work is under way (click on the notice above for more information)
This is my 3rd visit to Hampton Court and I’ve always enjoyed the glimpses into the past with the re-enactments ...
... here Tudor King Henry VIII meets the recently widowed Lady Latmimer (Katheryn Parr) his soon to be 6th and final wife ...
... meanwhile in the new Georgian apartments in 1717 ...
... the new German King George I has not managed to ‘fit-in’ as king and the relationship between him and his son (later to become George II) and daughter-in-law Caroline was strained as was the eventual relationship with their own son Fredrick (who became Prince of Wales and father to George III)
Fountain Court designed by Sir Christopher Wren and surrounded by the new state apartments for William of Orange and Queen Mary II
Enough of the inside ...
The Privy Gardens ...
... and the best of the Pond Gardens....
The two sunken gardens were originally ponds holding freshwater fish but these had dried up by the time Queen Mary II arrived at Hampton Court and being sheltered and south facing were ideal for her collection of exotic plants. The planting today is vibrant though no longer exotic.
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