The Old Palace - Hatfield - Herts - Unique Chimneys and Chimney Pots on Waymarking.com

The Old Palace

The Old Palace, c. 1485, is one of the foremost examples of mediaeval brickwork in the country and still retains most of its original roof timbers.
It was a childhood home of Queen Elizabeth I, who held her first Council of State in the Banqueting Hall in 1558. In 1607 King James I exchanged it for Theobalds, the house of Robert Cecil, 1st Earl of Salisbury. Robert Cecil demolished three quarters of the original palace and built the new House.
For three centuries, the Old Palace was used as the stables for Hatfield House, until the building was restored by the 4th Marquess. Many of the roof beams are peppered with gunshot, apparently because sparrows flew in and out when the stable doors were left open.

The Old Palace is available for hire throughout the year as a venue for corporate and private parties, marriage ceremonies, wedding receptions, banquets etc.,

The Knot Garden, in front of the Old Palace, is based upon Elizabethan designs and was created by the Dowager Marchioness of Salisbury in 1984. It is filled with plants that are known to have grown in England before 1700.

This palace was the childhood home and favorite residence of Queen Elizabeth I. Built in 1497 by the Bishop of Ely, Henry VII's minister John Cardinal Morton, it comprised four wings in a square surrounding a central courtyard. The palace was seized by Henry VIII with other church properties.

Henry VIII's children Edward and Elizabeth spent their youth at Hatfield Palace. In 1548, when she was only 15 years old, Elizabeth was under suspicion of having illegally agreed to marry Thomas Seymour, the House and her servants were seized by Edward VI's agent Robert Tyrwhit, and she was interrogated there. She successfully defended her conduct with wit and defiance. Seymour was executed in 1549 for numerous other crimes against the crown. After her two months of imprisonment in the Tower of London by her sister Queen Mary, Elizabeth returned to Hatfield. The Queen Elizabeth Oak on the grounds of the estate is said to be the location where Elizabeth was told she was Queen following Mary's death. In November 1558, Elizabeth held her first Council of State in the Great Hall.


Elizabeth's successor James I did not like the palace much and so gave it to Elizabeth's chief minister (and his own) Robert Cecil, First Earl of Salisbury, in exchange for Theobalds which was the Cecils' family home. Cecil liked to build and so tore down three wings of the Royal Palace (the back and sides of the square) in 1608 and used the bricks to build the present structure.

The Third Marquess of Salisbury was three times Prime Minister during the closing years of Queen Victoria's reign.
The Garden at Hatfield House dates from the early 17th century when Robert Cecil employed John Tradescant the Elder to collect plants for his new home. The West garden includes a scented garden, herb garden and knot garden.

In 2009, changing of opening arrangements. The House, Park and Gardens will not open on Mondays or Tuesday,except BH Mondays. In July & August however, the Garden and Park will be open daily.


details from wikipedia and other sources.

Private or Public Property?: Private but open to the public certain times What material is it made from?: brick When was it made?: 01/01/1485 Estimated Height of chimney (please include whether metres or feet): 5 foot approx Type of building e.g. house, hotel etc: Palace How do you rate it?: Website with further information: [Web Link]

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