Eltham Palace
Eltham Palace is a historic estate in southeast London featuring the intact great hall of a medieval royal palace augmented by a 1930s Art Deco mansion.[1]Originating as a late 13th-century moated bishop's palace evolved from an earlier manor house, it became a significant royal residence from the 14th to 16th centuries, hosting monarchs such as Edward II, Henry V, and the young Henry VIII for retreats and hunts in the surrounding deer park.[2][3]
Following centuries of neglect and partial demolition after the English Civil War, the dilapidated site was leased in 1933 to textile magnate Stephen Courtauld and his wife Virginia, who commissioned architect Seel & Rigby to erect a modernist circular house linked to the surviving hall, incorporating luxurious interiors with exotic materials, advanced technology like underfloor heating, and custom furnishings that exemplify interwar opulence.[3][4]
The Courtaulds resided there until 1944, after which the property passed through various uses before English Heritage acquired and restored it in 1995, preserving its dual heritage as a public attraction noted for architectural contrast and landscaped gardens.[3][5]