The dimensions are substantial: 60 acres of formal gardens and 750 acres of park, and eight thousand trees. Great Vine The Great Vine has particular interest. Started from a cutting by Capability Brown in 1769, it has grown to the…
Hampton Court Gardens & Park
Cardinal Wolsey Conduits were laid in to bring water from Coombe Hill. Henry VIII At the time of his marriage to Anne Boleyn, and possibly under her influence with experience of more sophisticated Continental courts, the formal gardens were developed,…
King George III
King George III (born 4 June, 1738, ascended throne of Great Britain and Ireland 25 October 1760, died 29 January 1820) This George was the grandson of King George II; his father, Frederick the Prince of Wales, had died before…
King George II
King George II (born 30 October 1683; ascended throne of Great Britain and Ireland 11 June 1727, died 25 October 1760) This sovereign holds a number of “last” records – the last British monarch to be born outside the country,…
King George I
King George I (born 28 May 1660; ascended to thrones of Great Britain and Ireland August 1, 1714, died June 11, 1727) The Parliament of Great Britain had decided they would never again have a Roman Catholic sovereign. When Queen…
Queen Anne
Queen Anne (born 6 February 1665; ascended as sovereign 1 May 1707, died 1 August 1714) Anne was the second daughter of the Duke of York (who later became King James II) and younger sister of Mary (who later became…
King William III and Queen Mary II
King William III and Queen Mary II (William born 4 November 1650, Mary born 30 April 1662; joint sovereigns of England from 13 February 1689 until Mary died 28 December 1694, William died 8 March 1702) England feared further Catholic…
King James II
King James II (born 14 October 1633; ascended to thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland 6 February 1685, deposed 11 December 1688) Second son of King Charles 1st, James escaped captivity dressed as a girl and was brought up on…
King Charles II
King Charles II (born 29 May, 1630; ascended to throne of Scotland 30 January, 1649; ascended joint thrones of England, Scotland and Ireland 29 May 1660 until death 6 February 1685) Son of the beheaded Charles I, Charles II should…
Oliver Cromwell
Oliver Cromwell (born 25 April 1599; Lord Protector 16 December 1653 till death 3 September 1658) After the beheading of King Charles the Parliamentarians lost the central figure of hatred and so turned to bickering among themselves. Cromwell continued in…