The Royal Palaces of the Restoration - Professor Simon Thurley

TL;DR

Charles II's ambitious plan to build a large royal palace in Winchester, known as England's Versailles, was left incomplete at the time of his death in 1685.

Transcript

well good evening ladies and gentlemen very very good to see you very good to be here very good to continue my Odyssey through English Royal Palaces and take off where I left off last time I was talking about the palaces of Oliver Cromwell which weren't in fact wasn't in fact a contradiction in terms as I demonstrated and I suggested that Oliver Cr... Read More

Key Insights

• 🫨 Charles II's plans for Winchester Palace were grand, aiming to create a principal royal residence akin to Versailles.
• 🤴 Winchester Palace was intended to have state departments and a council chamber, distinguishing it from other royal residences.
• 👋 Factors influencing the choice of Winchester as the location included good road access, loyalist sympathies, and excellent accommodation options.

Questions & Answers

Q: What influenced Charles II's decision to build Winchester Palace?

Charles II was motivated by factors such as the depletion of game in Newmarket, the desire for a more fashionable court like Louis XIV's, instability and riots in London, and Winchester's loyalist sympathies.

Q: How did Charles II envision the role of Winchester Palace?

Winchester Palace was not intended solely as a hunting lodge but rather as a fully-fledged major royal palace, complete with state departments, a council chamber, and provisions for the Royal Council.

Q: Why was Winchester chosen as the location for the palace?

Winchester offered good road access from London, had a loyalist populace, and provided excellent accommodation for the court and administration. It was also strategically close to the naval base of Gosport.

Q: Why was Winchester Palace left unfinished?

Charles II's unexpected death in 1685 halted the construction of Winchester Palace. The interiors were not yet designed, furniture was not ordered, and subsequent monarchs did not return to finish the project.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Oliver Cromwell's reign and the Commonwealth caused many English royal palaces to be abandoned or lose their former glory.

• Charles II saw the restoration as an opportunity to reassess royal residential requirements and started building a new country house in Greenwich.

• Charles II's plans were then redirected to building Winchester Palace as a hunting lodge, but it was intended to serve as a principal royal residence.