HAMPTON COURT PALACE

Gloriously sunny skies and crisp, clear air beckoned me to Hampton today where I spent hours wandering through the historical halls and courtyards of Hampton Court Palace and what a treat it was!

The palace and it's surrounding gardens are absolutely magnificent and, starting with the Age of the Tudors and the tyrannical Henry XIII, I worked my way through the palace rooms, corridors and halls all the way to Christopher Wren's Baroque fantasy design version of the palace.

The palace and grounds are superbly well-kept and there is a quiet reverence in the great halls and chapels that so transported me back in time that I felt like I was swishing down the dark, cool corridors in full Tudor garb as a Lady of the Court!

After tracing the steps of the kings and queens that have habited in the palace, I strolled through the perfectly manicured gardens, took a horse-and-carriage ride along the lake and spent some time soaking up the sun on a bench in the Orangerie, half expecting Anne Boleyn to come around the corner! I loved every minute and would go back without a thought!

The Great Banqueting Hall

The Great Kitchens - they had a real fire going, which really gave one a feel for the size the kitchen and the amount of people they would have needed in there to provide meals for the entire court! Apparently they went through 180 sheep a day, not counting the beef, chicken, boar and fish they ate too! It must have been chaos!

This was the Weaponry Room of William III - this design on the wall is made from muskets!

The Great Vine - planted 300 years ago and still producing grapes!

I loved this shot - the white dots on the roof are birds, soaking up the sun!