Hampton Court Palace
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Hampton Court Palace looked like a great place to visit so we caught the train and off we went. It was quite a way to travel
but the journey was very straightforward changing trains at Waterloo Station for another line. The Hampton Court Station was very close to the Palace, all we had to do as walk over the bridge.
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First glimpse showed a huge Palace with imposing gates and a very long entryway before reaching the actual buildings. After purchasing our tickets we walked through the main gateway
into the Clock Courtyard. This Palace was Henry V111's favourite royal residence and it took about 10 years for him to convert it into a royal residence from a courtier's country home. As we arrived
a gentleman of the time was trying to entice a young lady down from her apartments and needed the advice of the many vistors to the castle. A bit of fun here as sometimes the advice was
a little modern for him!! He also wanted to find out about a wedding...
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All around us were magnificent tapestries and artwork and it a little hard to concentrate on the task at hand.The various rooms of the Palace had much to offer as one room had a tapestry that is only second in value to the Queen's jewels!
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We entered the Palace rooms and came across the bride, trying to choose her wedding dress. Of course she asked for help
and so we stayed and helped with her choice of gowns. As she dressed in period costume she explained what each item was and how the outfit
was pieced together in times gone by.
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Absolutely magnificent and as we explored we found
The Georgian Rooms. These were the living quarters, and showed the informal side of the Royal lives. They have been restored to show what they were like in 1737. The Queen's State Apartments were
originally built for Queen Mary 11, but she died from smallpox and so the rooms were left unused and only inhabited by later Queens. The King's Apartments hold some of the most important Baroque
works of Art that date back to 1700. Every room had something historical and interesting about it and even the kitchens were amazing!
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An important part of every castle or palace is the gardens and these were second to none. The sun had come out and the grass and trees were just a delight!
There are over 60 acres here to explore and this includes a Maze, the Great Vine, the Privy Garden and the Gardens Exhibition. The grape vine is reputed to be the oldest and largest
grapevine in the world and is over 230 years old. We walked around and enjoyed the water feature and the beautiful spring garden just beginning
to bloom. There were many seats around and plenty of places to rest and just enjoy the magnificence of this well kept and very English garden area. We did venture into the Maze as well
and managed to find our way out. A fantastic day here in such a wonderfully historic Palace.
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