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Hampton Court Visit
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The visit
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On Friday 24th October we visited Hampton Court Palace to help us with our study of the Tudors. We entered the palace by the main gate and spent a little time sketching the king’s and the queen’s beasts which line the bridge. After sketching, we watched a video about Henry VIII and his daily life at Hampton Court before touring the palace. We met Daniel who was dressed up as a courtier and he told us many stories about Henry’s reign, some of them were quite haunting. He was both interesting and amusing. He taught us how to bow and told us that we had to bow to everyone who was more important than ourselves. Fortunately the weather was wonderful so we ate our picnic lunch in the rose garden. Before returning to school we visited the shop and bought some souvenirs and some postcards for our study. It was a very enjoyable day.
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Writing inspired by the visit
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A stonemason’s story
As I arrived at Hampton Court Palace by boat the sight was magnificent. I thought that the palace was huge but in fact it is one of the smaller palaces belonging to King Henry VIII. I was very nervous about working for the king, but also really excited. Everything was buzzing around in my mind and I couldn’t imagine what it was going to be like inside the palace, or what it was going to be like working for this wonderful man. I didn’t know what I was going to be carving and was feeling apprehensive.
When I got to the front gate I spotted some stone carved animals on the bridge. They were the King’s and the Queen’s beasts and there were dogs, dragons, unicorns and lions. As I walked under the arch I entered Clock Court. I couldn’t take it all in, but as I slowly turned around I saw this stunning clock and now I knew why it was called Clock Court. I found out from a servant who was crossing the courtyard that the clock told the hour, the day, the month, the number of days since the start of the year, the phases of the moon, the positions of the sun and the twelve signs of the zodiac. I thought it was amazing. I asked what all the rooms around the court were for and the servant said, ‘Follow me and I’ll show you some of them’.
He took me up some stairs into the Great Hall. I saw some heads on the ceiling. They were looking down at me as if they were trying to see what I was doing. I was told that they were put there by the men who created the Great Hall. I was also told that Henry never used the Great Hall, but that I was going to be sleeping there. I was very lucky to be sleeping in such a grand room with such expensive tapestries hanging on the walls. I could tell that the tapestries told the story of Abraham and was amazed by all the bright colours. Just next to the Great Hall was the Horn Room which is where the food was brought up from the kitchens.
We carried on to the Watching Chamber. The servant told me that the beautiful ceiling was made of real gold. I was stunned. I couldn’t believe that King Henry could afford so much. The servant said he had to go to another part of the building so I stayed in the Watching Chamber on my own. It gave me a chance to think about all I had seen.
I’ve heard that Henry has more than sixty palaces. I’ve also just heard that Jane Seymour has died and that Henry is absolutely devastated. Apparently Jane was his favourite wife, probably because she had just given birth to a son. King Henry’s first wife was Catherine of Aragon, a Spanish princess. After sometime Henry wanted to divorce her and he then married Anne Boleyn who was beheaded for high treason and witchcraft.
I know that Henry enjoys many sports. Some of the sports are jousting, tennis and hunting. He also writes poetry and music.
I think that the hardest part about working for King Henry will be making sure that everything is completed on time and that all my statues are of very high standard. To show that my work is for the king I will engrave HVIII on each piece, and my name to show that it is my work.
I am really looking forward to working for King Henry and I hope that if my work is good enough I will be invited to work here again.
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What I saw at Hampton Court
My name is Tom and I am a local labourer. Last Wednesday, I left my house at dawn and took my cart full of vegetables along the bumpy road. It was only just light as I made my way towards the palace. This was my first time delivering my vegetables to Hampton Court and I was very nervous because I didn’t know whether my vegetables would pass the quality test.
As I arrived at the palace, I saw the Great Gatehouse and it was so impressive that I stood to admire it for a long time. I had heard so many stories from the other labourers and was very pleased to be seeing it for myself. It was five stories high and had Henry VIII’s coat of arms above the entrance. I stood and admired it for a few seconds longer before I was told to go to a green, side gate by a guard. Another guard ordered me to go through. It was called Seymour Gate and was the tradesmen’s entrance to the palace.
At Seymour Gate, I waited for my vegetables to be checked by the Clerk of the Greencloth. He looked carefully at my potatoes and inspected each carrot individually. It seemed as though I had been waiting for ages but finally he allowed me through and I breathed a huge sigh of relief.
I made my way to the kitchens but it took me a long time as my cart of vegetables was heavy and I was then feeling quite exhausted after the long journey.
Finally I arrived at the kitchens and a kitchen boy told me to take the vegetables to one side of a storeroom, then he invited me to have a bowl of pottage and some weak ale before I left for my return journey. This was a kind offer and I thanked him for his generosity. He told me that he was helping to prepare for a special feast and that as many as one thousand, two hundred people would be coming to the palace to be entertained by King Henry VIII.
As I sat at the table, I noticed a small boy turning a spit on which a wild board was roasting. He was bright red in the face and looked as though he was being cooked as well as the boar. I am thankful that I only deliver vegetables and don’t have to stand over a hot spit all day long.
I finished my pottage and collected my cart to prepare for my long journey home. I hoped that I would be returning to the palace next week with a fresh cart of vegetables. I was relieved that the day was over and as I trundled out of the palace, I received payment for my vegetables. I could then go home proud that I could give my family the extra money that we so desperately needed.
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Welcome
Upper II (Year 5)
Sayers Croft
Hampton Court
