Eltham Palace - London
Outline history of gardens
Eltham Palace is one of the few important medieval royal palaces in England to survive with substantial remains intact. Initially a moated manor house with vast parkland, it was acquired by the future Edward II in 1305 who subsequently passed it on to his queen, Isabella. Under Edward IV significant changes were made, most notably the addition of the Great Hall in the 1470s which is still visible today. Henry VIII was the last monarch to spend substantial amounts of money or time at Eltham and in the 16th century the Palace was eclipsed by Greenwich Palace and declined rapidly. In the mid 17th century, the owner, Sir John Shaw, built Eltham Lodge in the Great Park and lived there. For the next 200 years Eltham Palace was used as a farm and the buildings were tenanted. In the early 19th century a villa was built within the moat walls and gardens and kitchen gardens laid out in the west and south moats. A campaign to save the Great Hall from demolition resulted in its restoration in 1828 but it was still used as a barn. Later in the 19th century Eltham Palace became a gentleman's residence, and glasshouses and gardens were laid out in the west moat. By the early 19th century the parkland had been reduced to two small areas of 21 hectares and 29 hectares, the rest had reverted to arable or pastureland. The larger park was cleared of its parkland trees between 1808 and 1828.
In the 1930s an important private house, boasting an ultra-modern design was built adjoining the Great Hall by a wealthy couple, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. In 1935, an initial design for the gardens was produced by Andrew Mawson and Partners for the Courtauld's. This was then modified to incorporate ornamental plantations, shrubberies and specimen trees. The Courtauld's were keen horticulturists and new areas were laid out including lawns, a mixed border, a sunken rose garden, a spring bulb meadow, a rock garden and woodland garden. Stephen had a passion for orchids, which he raised in the glasshouses, and Virginia for roses. After they left Eltham, a red rose was created in their Rhodesian home and named 'Virginia Courtauld'.
The Courtauld's left Eltham in 1944 and the site was occupied by Army educational units until 1992. English Heritage assumed management of the palace in 1995, and in 1999 completed a major programme of repairs to and restoration of the 1930s interiors and gardens. Today the gardens are a rare and very fine example of a 1930s garden design with the fact that they incorporate elements of the medieval palace adds a further intriguing dimension.
Eltham Palace is Grade II* on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.
Garden highlights
- The sunken rose garden featuring early hybrid tea and hybrid musk varieties from the 1930s leads onto a series of garden rooms created by evergreen shrubs planted with winter flowering shrubs under planted with spring flowering bulbs and hellebores.
- Seasonal bedding schemes planted in the terraced beds.
- The westmorland limestone rockery, with a recently restored cascade, has been planted with a tapestry of ground hugging plants.
- A Newly planted 120m long mixed border and White Wood designed by Isabelle Van Groeningen, as part of the English Heritage Contemporary Heritage Garden initiative, opened summer 2000.
- The moat is planted with water lilies and stocked with carp.
- Eltham has extensive tree and shrub plantings making the site a plantsman's paradise.
- The southern moat bank is planted with a range of naturalised spring bulbs.
- Dramatic views over London can be seen from this green oasis.
- The formal planting scheme designed by John Watkins for the Triangular Garden uses thyme, Salvia and Kniphofia. Shown here at different times of the year.
Rare and unusual plants
Large specimens of Ligustrum lucidum, Poncirus trifoliata (a hardy citrus relative) and the spring flowering Stachyrus praecox. Other trees include the cut leaf beech Fagus sylvatica 'Laciniata' and large stately London Planes(Platanus x hispanica) and a beautiful example of the strawberry tree Arbutus unedo.
Wildlife
Common lizards are resident on the boundary wall and grass snakes have been known to use the site. Frogs, toads, smooth and palmate newts can also be seen. Pipistrelle bats are known to roost on the site and other species, including Noctule's, feed over the site. The Nationally Scarce stag beetle can also be found on site. For more information on endangered wildlife and habitats visit the Environment Agency's Web Page.
