Eltham Palace
In 1933 Stephen Courtauld - millionaire, war veteran and patron of the arts - looked to the suburb of Eltham as the setting for a breathtaking new home. His vision was to link a modern, fashionable residence to the Great Hall of a medieval royal palace and to create a stunning home where his Italian wife could entertain with gaiety and flair.
The dramatic Entrance Hall was created by the Swedish designer Rolf Engstromer. Bathe in the light flooding from a spectacular glazed dome, as it highlights beautiful blackbean veneer and figurative marquetry. The Entrance Hall is a tour de force only rivalled by the adjacent Dining Room - where an Art Deco aluminium leafed ceiling is a perfect complement to the birds-eye maple walls. Step into Virginia's magnificent gold-leaf and onyx bathroom, and throughout the house discover lacquered, 'ocean liner ' style veneered walls and built-in furniture. A Chinese 18th century sliding screen is all that separates chic '30s Art Deco from the medieval Great Hall. English Heritage has carefully preserved the restoration work carried out in the 1930s - which features a unique blend of archaeological reconstruction and Hollywood fantasy!
Guide book
Inclusive Audio Tour
Giftshop
Tearoom
Picnics Welcome
Coach Parking
Pre-Booked Guided Tours are Available.
The House
Eltham Palace is a feast of luxurious design ideas. You'll find concealed electric lighting, centralised vacuum cleaning and a loudspeaker system that allowed music to waft around the house. Authentic interiors have been recreated by the finest contemporary craftsmen. Their appearance has been painstakingly researched from archive photography and documents - and interviews with friends and relatives of the Courtaulds. These stunning interiors are now open for you to enjoy.The dramatic Entrance Hall was created by the Swedish designer Rolf Engstromer. Bathe in the light flooding from a spectacular glazed dome, as it highlights beautiful blackbean veneer and figurative marquetry. The Entrance Hall is a tour de force only rivalled by the adjacent Dining Room - where an Art Deco aluminium leafed ceiling is a perfect complement to the birds-eye maple walls. Step into Virginia's magnificent gold-leaf and onyx bathroom, and throughout the house discover lacquered, 'ocean liner ' style veneered walls and built-in furniture. A Chinese 18th century sliding screen is all that separates chic '30s Art Deco from the medieval Great Hall. English Heritage has carefully preserved the restoration work carried out in the 1930s - which features a unique blend of archaeological reconstruction and Hollywood fantasy!
The Gardens
Appreciate a stunning mixture of formal and informal gardens created by Stephen and Virginia Courtauld. You will find a rose garden, pergola and loggia nestled around the extensive remains of the medieval palace. Refreshments are available in the Tea Room, newly created from the former Courtauld Kitchens. The gardens also offer many picturesque areas for you to enjoy a picnic: choose from enclosed garden 'rooms' or open lawns - approached via a timber moat bridge, springing from the foundations of the medieval southern entrance.Facilities
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Directions |
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By Train:
30 minutes from Charing Cross and Victoria to Eltham or Mottingham, both 1/2 mile. By Car: Junction 3 on the M25, then A20 to Eltham, off Court Rd, SE9. From Central London: A2. By Bus: Telephone 0207 222 1234 for details. |
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Eltham Palace Postcode for SatNav: SE9 5QE
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Contact
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Days Out near Eltham Palace
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Firepower! Royal Artillery Museum (3 Miles)*
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Chislehurst Caves (3 Miles)*
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National Maritime Museum (3 Miles)*
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Red House (3 Miles)*
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Old Royal Naval College (3 Miles)*
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Cutty Sark Clipper Ship (3 Miles)*
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The O2 (4 Miles)*
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Emirates Air Line Cable Cars (4 Miles)*
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Newham City Farm & Visitor Centre (4 Miles)*
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Horniman Museum & Gardens (5 Miles)*
Places to Visit near Eltham Palace
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London Borough of Greenwich (3 Miles)*
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London Borough of Barking and Dagenham (6 Miles)*
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London Borough of Southwark (6 Miles)*
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Dartford (7 Miles)*
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City of London (7 Miles)*
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London Borough of Lambeth (8 Miles)*
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Croydon (8 Miles)*
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London (8 Miles)*
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Bloomsbury (8 Miles)*
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London Borough of Islington (9 Miles)*
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