OATLANDS PALACE

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The remains of Oatlands Palace are situated on the southern bank of the River Thames at Weybridge, on the south western outskirts of London. It was built in the 15th century, initially as a moated manor house for the Reed family and was acquired in 1537 by Henry VIII for Anne of Cleves. From the time of acquisition until 1545, he carried out extensive additions and alterations, including the creation of a deer park. On 28 July 1540 Henry VIII married Catherine Howard at the palace. During the reign of Elizabeth I, further additions and alterations were carried out and in 1650, during the period of parliamentary rule, the palace was demolished.

Oatlands Palace was built around three main adjoining quadrangular courtyards. It had a typically Tudor emphasis on symmetry, balance and order, ornamented by more fanciful architectural elements such as tall corner towers and lanterns. Still surviving is a brick-vaulted conduit along the course of the south western arm of the moat. A restored 16th century brick carriage gateway with a tall four-centred archway topped by a stepped parapet survives on the north western side of the outer court with standing portions of the original enclosing wall. This incorporates a further, now blocked, entrance. Traces of a small banqueting house have also been found. The palace remains have been partly disturbed by the construction of modern housing estates between 1930 and 1980.

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TQ 0787 6515: Palace [G.T.] (Site of)
TQ 0790 6521: Entrance to an Underground Passage. [T.I.] (1)

Oatlands was built by Henry VIII as a royal palace in 1537/38 and it remained thus until the Commonwealth when it was nearly all destroyed in 1650. (2)

No trace of the palace now remains but it is considered from early prints etc. to have stood at approximately TQ 0771 6526. The site is occupied by a deserted farm and a housing estate.

To the south east centred at TQ 0787 6515 and forming part of present property boundaries is the high, brick kitchen garden wall of 17th century date, heavily buttressed and containing a number of blocked doorways.

A blocked gateway at the south end of Gate Road (TQ 0782 6517) has a four-centred arch and two iron door hinges (see GP. AO/61/78/8). The 'Entrance to an Underground Passage' is a collapsed drain of 17th century date: it is still accessible but covered and part rubbish filled.

For the Hunting Lodge nearby see TQ 06 NE 34. (3-4)

Scheduled as 'Site of Oatlands Palace'. (5)

TQ 0771 6526: Excavation since 1968 has been adding detail and precision to the early paintings of Oatlands Palace. Excavation in 1984, by R Poulton, was carried out in advance of rebuilding of a housing estate which covered the area of the middle and outer courts. The outer wall of the north range of the middle court was exposed and a series of garderobes and chimney breasts attached to it excavated. Parts of a further building of uncertain function outside was uncovered. The most interesting discovery were the foundations of polygonal turrets with attached rooms, the general similarity of the plan to the Banqueting House at Nonsuch Palace encourages a similar identification here. An archaeomagnetic date of 1565-80 for an early phase of its use has been obtained. (6)

TQ 0788 6516: The restored ruins and buried remains of Oatlands Palace, built mainly between 1537-45 for Henry VIII situated on the southern bank of the River Thames at Weybridge on the south western outskirts of London. Oatlands and its deer park lay within the newly created royal hunting forest known as the Honour of Hampton Court also served by Nonsuch Palace (13 kilometres to the east) and centred on Hampton Court Palace (less than 1 kilometre north east). The new chase and royal residencies were built close to the capital due to Henry's deteriorating health preventing him from travelling to his favourite hunting grounds in Oxfordshire.

Oatlands was built around 3 main adjoining quadrangular courtyards covering 14 hectares. The builders utilised an existing moated manor house which dated to the 15th century and included a hall and chapel. The first phase of building works involved the retention and repair of existing structures such as great hall and moat. During 1538 the surrounding ground was emparked and work began on a new middle court. The accommodation included separate lodgings for the visiting King and Queen reusing masonry from Chertsey Abbey and newly fired red brick. Most of the palace was destroyed during parliamentary rule in 1650.

The main planning of the palace has a typically Tudor emphasis on symmetry, balance and order ornamented by more fanciful architectural elements such as tall corner towers and lanterns. Oatlands is however unusual in that the majority of its buildings had gabled roofs without crenellated parapets. A description of how the palace was laid out is available. Still surviving is a brick-vaulted conduit along the course of the south western arm of the moat. A restored 16th century brick carriage gateway with a tall four-centred archway topped by a stepped parapet survives on the north western side of the outer court with standing portions of the original enclosing wall. This incorporates a further now blocked entrance (listed grade II). Foundations of a double stable block adjoin the outer court to the north west and investigations made in 1983-4 revealed traces of a small detached building interpreted as a banqueting house. The palace remains have been partly disturbed by the construction of modern housing estates between 1930 - 1980. Scheduled. (7)

Henry VIII acquired the manor at Oatlands from the Reed family by December 1537. He then proceeded to carry out major additions and alterations to the sum of approximately £17 000. During the reign of Elizabeth I, further additions and alterations were made in and during the period of parliamentary rule in the mid 17th century the palace was demolished.

History of the house with plan and illustration. (8)

Henry VIII acquired the 15th century moated manor house that already existed on the site and had it remodelled for Anne of Cleves. He married Catherine Howard here on 28 July 1540. (9)

This is an additional reference. (10)

The digital "e-museum" of Elmbridge Museum (formerly Weybridge museum) provides a short overview of the history of Oatlands and on the impact of Tudor and Stewart monarchs on the area in general. (11)

SOURCE TEXT

( 1) Ordnance Survey Map (Scale / Date)

OS 25" 1934.

(2) Journal of the British Archaeological Association

Article by S.W. Kershaw 9, 1903 Page(s)182-90

(3) Oral information, correspondence (not archived) or staff comments

(4) Field Investigators Comments

F1 ASP 16-MAR-1966

(5) List of Buildings of Special Architectural or Historic Interest

DOE (IAM) Record Form 19.4.79 (J Allan)

(6) General reference

CBA Newsletter and Calendar, 8.9, Jan 1985, 142, (R Poulton)

(7) Scheduled Monument Notification

Scheduling amendment, 04-APR-2002

(8) by H M Colvin ... [et al] 1982 The history of the King's Works, volume 4 : 1485-1660 (Part 2)

Page(s)205-17

(9) World Wide Web page

Wikipedia. 2009. Oatlands Palace, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oatlands_Palace [accessed 12-MAY-2009]

(10) Simon Thurley 1993 The royal palaces of Tudor England : architecture and court life

(11) World Wide Web page

Elmbridge Borough Council. 2009. 'Elmbridge e-museum: Tudor and Stewart' http://www.elmbridgemuseum.org.uk/e-museum/?Document=100.050x2 [Accessed 22-SEP-2009]

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