Eltham Palace

Once a mediaeval royal palace, Eltham Palace is now the finest Art Déco mansion open for visits from the public. 

Through the centuries, it has hosted kings, queens, and international statesmen – in 1400, Henry IV welcomed Byzantine Emperor Manuel II Palaiologos to Eltham to celebrate Christmas.

It’s one of the few mediaeval royal palaces in England to survive with substantial remains intact. 

Initially a moated Tudor house, it was given to the future Edvard IV by Bishop Bek. Under his ownership, the house was reconstructed, and the 1470s great hall was added. 

Beginning in the 16th century, the manor began declining, and for 200 years following the Civil Wars, it was used as a farm.

In the 1930s it was acquired by textile magnates Stephen and Virginia (Ginie) Courtauld, who wanted a semi-rural property, but still within easy reach of central London. 

They contacted the architects Seely and Piaget, and the new house was built in a way that linked the new construction to the Great Hall. 

The Courtaulds hired some of the foremost designers and craftsmen of their time to create a range of lavish interiors and outstanding gardens. 

The house was decorated with the couple’s collection of art and furniture. 

Visitors will first see the curved entrance colonnade, flanked by two tall, copper-clad pavilions. 

The green-painted steel casement windows, by Henry Hope and Son, are typical of the 1930s. The infilled arches of the colonnade are inspired by Sir Christopher Wren’s Hampton Court Palace and the library at Trinity College.

Typical features include wall surface lined with a range of native and exotic woods, the use of pale paint colours – a contrast to the strong colours favoured by the Edwardians – and ceilings designed as an integral part of the room. 

The most dramatic interior is the triangular entrance hall, created by Swedish designer Rolf Engströmer: Its walls are lined with black bean veneer and decorated with marquetry, probably the largest in a private interior, manufactured by Swedish department store NK. 

Stephen Courtauld wanted it to depict his favourite places. 

On one side of the wall; a Roman soldier in colossal format, and buildings from Florence and Venice. On the other side, the entrance is guarded by a romanticised Viking and next to it you can see Stockholm, with the City Hall in the centre.In addition, Gripsholm Castle and the Visby city-wall are depicted, showcasing Courtauld’s interest in Swedish history. 

Benches, sofas, armchairs, differently shaped tables, and low cabinets – everything is designed by Engströmer, which makes it one of the most significant collections of his designs today.

The dining room was designed by Italian Peter Malacrida, defined by contrasting tones and textures for effect, with bird’s-eye maple veneer walls and an aluminium-leaf ceiling. 

The distinctive black and silver doors depict animals and birds drawn from life at London Zoo. 

Virginia Courtauld’s vaulted bathroom has walls lined with onyx, with gold mosaic tiles in the bath niche. 

Many of the bedrooms on the first floor are built in the “Cunard style”, made fashionable by the cruise liners of the time. 

In 1944, the Courtaulds left Eltham, and the site was occupied by Army educational units until 1992. English Heritage took over the site in 1995, restoring the 1930s house and gardens. 

Eltham Palace

London, UK