Eltham Palace and Gardens
Eltham
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A dazzling 1930s Art Deco mansion built beside the medieval Great Hall where Henry VIII grew up, with beautiful gardens, a glasshouse café and a children's play area. Run by English Heritage.
Eltham Palace is two extraordinary places in one. In 1936 the millionaires Stephen and Virginia Courtauld built a glamorous Art Deco mansion right next to the 1470s Great Hall of the medieval royal palace, where the young Henry VIII spent his childhood, and the contrast is breathtaking.
Inside the house you can explore interiors made for entertaining: the striking entrance hall, the sleek Art Deco dining room where the Courtaulds held their famous dinner parties, and Virginia's gold-plated bathroom. Then step through into the Great Hall, with its soaring hammerbeam roof, for a taste of the Tudor court.
Gardens and café
The gardens mix medieval remains with Arts and Crafts touches, and are lovely for a stroll in any season. There's a visitor centre with a shop, a pretty café in the glasshouse and a play area for children.
Visiting
Tickets are valid all day, members go free, and booking online by midnight the day before saves money. Look out for seasonal events, including Christmas weekends in December. The palace is also a sought-after venue for weddings.