Description: London history and mystery revealed!
London is famous for royal palaces like Windsor, Buckingham Palace, and St James’s Palace. But what about those royal palaces long lost to history? Take for example, Kennington Palace. Yes, such a place did exist. The home of the legendary Black Prince. Go there now and you’ll find a post-war office block. Ditto Baynard’s castle – site of a 1970s piece of brutalism today.
How on earth could entire royal palaces disappear in London? Surely it’s unthinkable. And yet it’s happened. Whitehall Palace once rivalled the Vatican in size with 1,500 plus rooms. Begun in earnest by Cardinal Wolsey – though it was already owned by the Archbishops of York – it was taken over by Henry VIII who turned it into a magnificent residence and centre of government. Then a careless maid burned the place down in the late 17th century while drying out some linen. All that remains is the Banqueting H
Baynard’s Castle was close to where Blackfriars tube station now stands. It fell victim to the Great Fire of London in 1666 and was never rebuilt. Along with Montfichet’s Tower and the Tower of London – this was part of the Norman military grip on the capital of the realm. Keeping a beady eye on rebellious Londoners.