Best London Palaces
– Art Deco Delight at Eltham Palace
London palaces are seldom as stylish as Eltham Palace. The current palace was built in the 1930s by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld who acquired the lease on the palace after years of disuse and neglect had brought it nearly to ruins.
They incorporated what remained into the design and a 15th century bridge still allows visitors to cross the moat. Something curious about the palace is the presence of escape tunnels which go from the palace grounds to various points around the neighbouring area; remnants of at least three such tunnels have been discovered. The Courtaulds built a large and elaborate home in the Art Deco style that is a masterpiece of modern design. They had a pet lemur named Mah-Jongg who had the run of the house; visitors can see his cage complete with wall murals and central heating. Eltham Palace is now owned by English Heritage and is open to the public. The entrance hall is in an “ocean liner” design and gives visitors the feel of the grand entrance to a fine period cruise ship. The Great Hall is a Tudor marvel, and be sure to keep an eye out for the gold tiles and lion’s head taps in Virginia Courtauld’s bathroom. The bedrooms are lovely and sumptuously appointed, and the pink leather upholstered chairs and fanciful animal décor of the dining room will make you wish you had been a dinner guest of the Courtaulds, or even just a fly on the wall at one of their amazing events. The gardens at Eltham Palace are also worth a visit. There are 19 acres of carefully planned areas, including a rockery built by Stephen Courtauld because of his love for the mountains and a sunken rose garden. The moat is home to large carp which sharp-eyed visitors should be able to spot. There is a tea room located in the rather less elegant original Service Quarters where visitors can relax and enjoy refreshments served by traditionally uniformed waitresses. London palaces such as Eltham Palace are rare indeed.
Eltham Palace Address: Court Yard, off Court Road, SE9 5QE Telephone: 020 8294 2548 Opening Times 1 April to 1 November: Monday to Wednesday & Sunday 10am-5pm | 2 November to 20 December: Monday to Wednesday & Sunday 11am-4pm | Closed 21 December to 31 January | 1 February to 31 March: Monday to Wednesday & Sunday 11am-4pm Pricing £8.30 (Adults) £7.10 (Concs) £4.20 (Children)
Photo courtesy: piX1966
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