English Heritage

1311Royal Acquisition

Bishop Bek dies and Eltham becomes one of Edward II’s royal palaces.

1350s AND 1360sRoyal Expansion

Major building work including new kitchens and lodgings.

1400Christmas Guest

Henry IV welcomes Byzantine emperor Manuel II Palaeologus to Eltham over Christmas.

1475–80Royal Remodelling

Edward IV remodels the palace, building the Great Hall that survives to this day.

Read a description of Eltham Palace

1490sRoyal Nursery

The future Henry VIII spends his childhood at Eltham.

1518–28Henry's Chapel

Major rebuilding of king's and queen's lodgings, and a new chapel built for Henry VIII.

1648Civil War

Parliamentary troops stationed at Eltham ransack the palace and the royal park. 

18th CenturyEltham Farm

Palace ruins used as farm buildings, and the Great Hall as a barn.

1828Restoration Man

Great Hall repaired by the architect Sir Robert Smirke.

1933Grand Designs

Palace site leased by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld, who start to build a new house next to the medieval Great Hall.

1936Moving Day

The Courtaulds – and their beloved lemur Mah-Jongg – move into their new home.

1940Bomb Damage

The Great Hall is damaged by German incendiary bombs during the Blitz in the Second World War.

1944Leaving Eltham

The Courtaulds leave Eltham, moving to Scotland and then onto Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).

1945Army Education

Eltham becomes the home of the Royal Army Educational Corps.

1975Gardening School

The Royal Parks Training School starts training apprentice gardeners at Eltham.

1995Protected Palace

English Heritage takes over the management of the house.

Learn more about Eltham Palace and Gardens