An archaeological survey of Richmond Palace, Surrey

Abstract

This paper reviews the archaeological evidence for the medieval and Tudor royal palaces at Richmond (known as Shene before 1501), Surrey, which once stood in the area between Richmond Green and the River Thames. It is primarily concerned with the results of a series of investigations undertaken between 1972 and 1998, but earlier casual observations are also considered. The investigations include watching briefs carried out during building work at ‘Old Palace’, Richmond Green, and Tudor Lodge Cottage, Friars Lane, during which a number of brick structures dated to the 16th to 19th centuries were recorded. Of particular importance were the investigations undertaken in the garden of Trumpeters’ House, which revealed remains of the Tudor palace, and probably its late medieval precursor, and survey work on the Thames foreshore, which led to the discovery of a palace jetty built in the reign of Elizabeth I. Surviving walls and buildings of the Tudor palace, including the Gatehouse and the Wardrobe, are also considered.

The archaeological evidence has been combined with other sources of information, including documents and pictures, to produce a new overall plan of the Tudor palace. A particularly important source is a long lost plan by the Italian architect Costantino de’Servi, dated to 1611, which was recently discovered in Florence. This plan revealed for the first time the exact size and location of the Privy Lodgings (the main royal apartments).