I have always been a
sucker for historical fiction. Being an avid reader, I have over the years have
devoured the magical Far Pavilions, Train to Pakistan, Shogun, Roots, The
English Patient, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Baburnama, Conn Iggulden’s gritty Khan
series that traces the rise of Chengis Khan and his brutal legacy, the
brilliant Amitav Ghosh Ibis trilogy, all of Anchee Min’s books, especially her Empress
Orchid series with her sensitive portrayal of Empress Tsu Hsi (Cixi), and more
recently George Saunder’s Lincoln in the Bardo. There are many books and
authors I haven’t mentioned here, but you get the gist. So, if you are ever in
need for historical fiction recommendations, you know whom to ask
Besides transporting me
to another time and place, these books have also added so much joy and depth to
my real-life travels. In China, I trekked the Great Wall imagining the time it
was built to ward off the mighty Khan and later, wandered through the Summer
Palace picturing Empress Cixi walking through the gardens during her short
retirement. In Istanbul I examined the kitchens built during the Ottoman Empire
and conjured up the armies that needed to be fed.
But more then all
these, it is British historical fiction that has most captured my imagination.
From CJ Samson’s historical crime fiction to Philippa Gregory especially with
her outstanding Plantagenet and Tudor novels and Hilary Mantel with her award-winning
Wolf Hall and Bring up the Bodies. The more I read, the more I want to visit
the places in these books so I could shut my eyes and imagine the lives,
intrigues, wars and romances that were so vividly captured in these books. And
of all British history, it is the Tudors that fascinated me most, especially
the famous Henry VIII and his six wives.
So, I was more than
pleasantly surprised when the Gourmet Lawyer suggested we take a day trip to
Hampton Court Palace. I had read all the books, devoured the mini TV series
Wolf Hall, was transfixed by the 4 seasons of the TV series The Tudors which is
now on Netflix. I couldn’t wait to see the grand residence of Cardinal Thomas
Wolsey which he built in the image of the Versailles Palace and eventually gave
as a gift to Henry VIII after he fell out of Royal favour for being unable to
get the besotted King out of a troublesome marriage.
The recommended way to
get from London to Hampton Court and back is by boat from Westminster. It is
the way The Royals would have travelled in the days of yore. It is the journey
Queen Anne Boleyn took to the Tower of London where she was imprisoned and
later beheaded. So many books have captured that barge trip. But for us, it was
not to be. On further investigation we found that the boat ride from Westminster
to Hampton Court takes 4 hours one way. That was really too long. I imagine it
would have taken far far longer for Queen Anne to sail to the site of her
beheading!
The other option was a
train from Waterloo which covered the distance in a mere 30 minutes. Much
better idea though far less romantic. All the way as the train wheels clacked,
in my head was the eerie mnemonic “Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced,
beheaded, survived”
The Palace is a short 5-minute
walk from Hampton Court station. So, this really was a very convenient option.
Even as we approached the Palace, we were amazed at the grandeur and sheer size
of the structure. It is a magnificent structure set in the midst of vast, well
maintained grounds and parks.
There were very few
tourists about the day we went so we were able to get many lovely pictures and
walk around without jostling against crowds. Docents dressed in period costumes
re-enact life in the palace hundreds of years ago and are without fail friendly
and happy to help and answer questions. While buying our entrance we were told
there was a guided tour of the great hall and Henry VIII’s private apartments
starting in an hour if we were interested. Of course, we were, so we set off
for a brief walk around before joining the tour.
One of the first things
that caught our eye was the was the gorgeous Hampton Court astronomical clock, an early example of a pre- Copernican astronomical clock. Still functioning, the
clock shows the time of day, the phases of the moon, the month, the quarter of
the year, the date, the sun and star sign, and high tide at London Bridge. The latter information was of great importance to those
visiting this Thames-side palace from London, as the preferred method of
transport at the time was by barge, and at low water London Bridge created dangerous rapids.
The guided tour was
charmingly conducted by a man and woman playing the part of members of Henry
VIII’s royal household. It was entertaining, engaging, informative and utterly
charming. Why oh why can’t we learn something about how to do tourism in
India???
The Palace is very well
maintained. A lot of excavation and restoration work is ongoing and every
effort is made to transport the visitor to another age. Do see the pictures.
The highlight for us
were the vast medieval kitchens which fed over 1000 people every day. Today,
professional chefs are in the kitchens every day to show visitors how to
recreate recipes and cooking techniques from the 1500’s.
Hampton Court Palace is
known for its vast grounds, the famous hedge maze and the King Henry’s tennis
courts. The courts are still in use and there was a match on when we went!
Above: Inside the Maze. In case people really get lost, health and safety mandates the ladder from where they can see you and guide you out.
All in all, a great day
and a wonderful bringing to life of the many Tudor books I have read.
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