Space to Visit

Although there is an admission fee to view Hampton Court Palace itself, there is no entrance charge for the 550 acres of deer inhabited parkland and formal gardens. Cardinal Wolsey’s palace is set in formal gardens, featuring designs from the Tudor period on. Among the garden’s highlights is the Pond Garden, a sunken water garden that was part of Henry VIII’s designs.However, the main inspiration for the gardens as you see them today dates from the time of King William III of Orange and his wife Queen Mary. Sir Christopher Wren designed a baroque landscape for the king and queen, with avenues of limes and lakes. The Fountain Garden has a formal pattern of yews, some dating from the reign of William and Mary. From here, the Broad Walk runs across Home Park with Long Water, a man-made lake, running parallel to the Thames. The Great Vine is believed to be the oldest and largest grapevine in the world. Thought to have been planted in 1768 by ‘Capability’ Brown, this vine still produces about 600 pounds of black grapes each year which are then sold to visitors. There is also a Victorian garden and the world famous maze to be enjoyed.