Greenwich Palace

Also known as, or recorded in historical documents as; Grenewych; Estgrenewich

In the civil parish of Greenwich. In the historic county of Kent (Modern Authority of London Borough of Greenwich, 1974 county of Greater London).

Royal palace in Greenwich Park. A manor house was documented on this site since the early Medieval period. A house was extent in 1268 and was demolished in 1433 to make way for the palace, which was completed in 1439. Alterations took place in 1447-52. The palace comprised two courts and a hedged garden. Alterations were also carried out during the reigns of Henry VII and Henry VIII. The palace was demolished in C17 to make way for a new palace which was not completed. licensed in 1433. PastScape record reads "Castle in Greenwich Park. It was constructed in 1433 on the site now occupied by the the Old Royal Observatory. This is a prominent location on a scarp edge, still known as Castle Hill in 1695. The castle was demolished when the Royal Observatory was constructed in 1675 and can be reconstructed only through contemporary illustrations and excavation. The castle was thought to originally comprise a moated tower. It was enlarged in 1525-26 to include a second tower and gate lodge. Further building work was undertaken in the early C17. An illustration dated to 1637 shows the castle as an elegant crenellated house, with tall brick chimneys and at least two towers. The Tudor gate house may be identifiable with a two or three storey building attached to one side of the main structure. An archaeological survey by RCHME field staff between 1993-94 located no earthworks or other features identified with the castle."

The Ordnance Survey Map Grid Reference is TQ38857735

Air Photo from Air Photo and general mapping	1st edition OS Map from Mid to late 19th century maps
Modern Map from Landscape form and features	Modern Map from General location and route planning
Geograph British Isles occasionally has photos of the site and will usually give an idea of the surrounding landscape.

Sources of information, references and further reading

This site's English Heritage (PastScape) Defra or Monument number is 404337
This site's County Historic Environment Record (formerly Sites and Monuments Record) number is 070248 'grey' literature, such as watching brief reports, held by H.E.R.s is often poorly referenced and is unlikely to be recorded in this website.

• Web site links
  • http://www.channel4.com/history/microsites/T/timeteam/2003_greenwich.html
• Books
  • Emery, Anthony, 2006, Greater Medieval Houses Vol3 (Cambridge) p248
    Salter, Mike, 2000, The Castles of Kent (Malvern) p45
    Keevill, Graham D., 2000, Medieval Palaces, An Archaeology (Stroud; Tempus) p14
    Thurley, Simon, 1993, The Royal Palaces of Tudor England (Yale University Press)
    King, D.J.C., 1983, Castellarium Anglicanum (London: Kraus) Vol1 p238 [reject]
    Colvin, H.M., Ransome, D.R. and Summerson, John, 1982, The history of the King's Works Vol4: 1485-1660 (part 2) (London) p96-123
    Dixon, Philip, 1972, Excavations at Greenwich Palace 1970-1971: an interim report
    Colvin, H.M., Brown, R.Allen and Taylor, A.J., 1963, The history of the King's Works Vol2: the Middle Ages (London: HMSO) p949-50
    RCHME, 1930, Inventory of Historic Monuments in London Vol5: East London (HMSO) p25, 26, 168
    Chalkley Gould and Downham, 1908, in Page, Wm (ed), VCH Kent Vol1 p379
    Timbs, J. and Gunn, A., 1872, Abbeys, Castles and Ancient Halls of England and Wales Vol1 (London) p120-8
    Hasted, Edward, 1797 (2edn), A History and Topographical Survey of the County of Kent Vol1 p372- http://www.british-history.ac.uk/report.aspx?compid=53781
• Journal Articles
  • Coulson, Charles, 2007-8, 'On Crenellating, in Kent and Beyond - A Retrospection' The Castle Studies Group Journal Vol21 p189-201 esp p199
    Thompson, M.W., 1986, 'Associated monasteries and castles in the Middle Ages: a tentative list' Archaeological Journal Vol143 p320
    Dixon, P., 1971, London Archaeologist Vol10 p219-22
• Primary (Medieval documents or transcriptions of such documents - This section is far from complete and the secondary sources should be consulted for full references.)
  • Calendar of Patent Rolls (1429-36) p250
    Calendar of Patent Rolls (1436-41) p74
• Antiquarian (Histories and accounts from late medieval and early modern writers)
  • William Camden, 1607, Britannia [http://www.philological.bham.ac.uk/cambrit/kenteng.html#kent5]
    Chandler, John, 1993, John Leland's Itinerary: travels in Tudor England (Sutton Publishing) p250
• Other sources, 'grey' literature, unpublished works, etc. (Theses, in-house reports and other such)
  • Time Team (Mike Aston et al), 2003, Feb 2 (1st broadcast), 'Greenwich London' Time Team TV Programme (Time Team, a Videotext/Picture House production for Channel 4)