Henry VII was in residence in the palace then called Shene Palace on 23/12/1497 when there was a major fire which caused the king to decide to rebuild rather than repair and refurbish what was there. He decreed that it should be called Richmond Palace (because his family estates were centred on Richmond Yorkshire) when the new palace was about ready for occupation in 1501. It was then THE great palace of the kingdom. Excepting the removal of some of the more elaborate and unstable decorations to the turrets it was not much changed for 100 years. Drawings by Antonis van Wynegarde and Wenceslaus Hollar of 1561-2 and 1638 respectively show this. A major feature of the palace was a two storey gallery open on the ground floor but with large windows in the enclosed upper floor overlooking the gardens and tennis court.

The palace was demolished by a syndicate to which it was sold by the Commonwealth Parliament in 1649-50. The syndicate used the buildings, in large part, as a quarry. Sir Gregory Norton who was a signatory of Charles' death warrant acquired the range of the palace facing the green. After the restoration this property again housed royal apartments and the princesses Mary and Anne, later the Queens Mary and Anne, were raised in them. However most of this range of buildings was demolished and replaced by Maids of Honour Row in 1724-5. Now only the gatehouse and part of the first court survive from Henry's efforts following that Advent bonfire.

O/S Co-ords:1742.7487
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Rural Walks around Richmond