New Hall, Essex’s Unknown Royal Palace Talk
6 Grays Brewery Yard, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6QR
Henry VIII was a prolific builder and acquirer of properties, bequeathing 60 more buildings to his successors than he had inherited. Notable among these was Beaulieu Palace, north of Chelmsford, known before that and most of the time since as New Hall. It was one of his first ventures and was ready for occupation in 1520. It was designed to accommodate the whole Royal Court as a centre of government. But why was landlocked Beaulieu so remote from London? Other palaces were strung out accessibly along the Thames from Greenwich to Windsor.
A Time Team project in 2009 excavated the former entrance courtyard in front of the remaining Tudor wing of the palace that now constitutes the splendid frontage of New Hall School. The archaeological evidence and observation of surviving Tudor artefacts above ground revealed the dynastic reasons for this remote location and for Beaulieu’s short duration as a centre of royal government.
Timings & Tours
- Monday 09 September:
- 1900 | Fully booked
Location & directions
6 Grays Brewery Yard, Chelmsford, Essex, CM2 6QR
- Directions:
- Patch is located in Grays Yard near Nandos
Booking information
- Pre-booking requirement:
- Pre-booking required
- Booking conditions:
- Please advise if you need to cancel to enable us to give the space to another.
- Booking website:
- https://www.chelmsfordhod.co.uk
- Booking opens:
- 17 Jul 2024 12:00 AM
- Booking closes:
- 08 Sep 2024 12:00 AM
Additional information
- Max no of people per tour:
- 50
- Est. tour duration:
- 1 hour(s)
