by Janis / 4 comments - Orginally published:21st June 2017

A hidden gem in south east London

Sitting half a mile between two of London's major trunk roads servicing the southeast, the A2 and A20, you would find it hard to believe there is a medieval banqueting hall and an art deco palace all set within well-manicured gardens. However, there it is, with its own story to tell.

It's an English Heritage property, and the entrance fee is included with English Heritage Membership. You can also visit Dover, Deal, Walmer, Rochester and Upnor Castles in the southeast, along with Battle Abbey and the infamous Battle of 1066 site.

So, without further ado, let's go and discover that story.

The pin image of our post - 'Art Deco elegance, Eltham Palace, London'
Why not Pin it for later?
A wide shot of Eltham Palace, a grand Tudor mansion with a symmetrical red-brick facade and decorative stone details. The palace is surrounded by trees and a green lawn.
The exterior of the Great Hall

Where is Eltham Palace?

How to get to Eltham Palace

- By Train
You can catch an overland train to either Mottingham or Eltham stations. It's a 15 to 20-minute walk to Eltham Palace from there.

- By Car
As mentioned, it is nestled 1/2 a mile from the A2 & M20 trunk roads. On-site parking is available.

The postal address for Eltham Palace is;
Court Yard, Eltham, Greenwich, London, SE9 5NP

The What3Word address for the car park is;
///debate.random.dirt
and the ticket office;
///codes.worth.maker

Eltham Palace's Royal past

Childhood playground
Henry VIII spent much of his childhood here but was the last monarch to invest any substantial sums of money into the palace.
A close-up view of a stone wall and steps leading to a doorway in a garden of eltham palace. The wall is covered in moss and vines, and the steps are made of worn stone.
The Walled Garden
From the 17th century, the original buildings were left to decline, and years of neglect took their toll. The Great Hall was saved, but little remains of the original historical palace.

Stay informed

Why not subscribe to our monthly newsletter for some travel inspiration, some tips and find out what we've been up to?
Or alternatively, why not follow us on your favourite social media channel?

Eltham Palace's Golden Era

Pure decadence
It wasn’t until 1933, when millionaires, Stephen and Virginia Courtauld took a 99-year lease from the Crown and had an elegant new house built.
A close-up of the grand entrance of Eltham Palace, featuring a large wooden door with a stone archway and intricate carvings. The door is flanked by two stone columns and topped by a coat of arms.
The Grand Entrance
Constructed in the ‘Wrenaissance’ style, it was partly inspired by Hampton Court and, where possible, incorporated remains from the original palace.
A vintage radio with a wooden cabinet and a metal grill, placed on a shelf amongst various books at Eltham Palace.
Period Entertainment
With money no object, the Courtaulds helped design the luxurious Art Deco interior and had the cutting-edge technology of the time installed throughout the house.

Th end of an era at Eltham Palace

Moving on
After only living there for eleven years and unfortunately experiencing the last years through World War Two bombings, the Courtaulds moved out.
A photo of the exterior of Eltham Palace, a large red-brick Tudor mansion in London, England. The building has a crenellated roofline, tall chimneys, and ornate stonework.
Courtyard entrance

English Heritage took over the management in its entirety in 1995.

The impressive restoration of the interior of Eltham Palace transports you back to the decadent days of the 1920s & 30s.

Step inside Eltham Palace

First impressions
When you first step into the domed entrance hall you’ll be amazed, every aspect so synonymous with the era.
The opulent reception area of Eltham Palace in south east London with wood panels engraved with classical scenes. The whole area is an art deco masterpiece.
The reception area of Eltham Palace
You feel like you have entered onto a scene from a Hercule Poirot movie.
A silver cocktail shaker and two martini glasses on a black tray, sitting on a wooden table at eltham palace in south east london
Vintage Cocktails
Encircled with intricate wood panelling and elegant period furniture, it truly conveys a sense of luxury.

The sumptuous interior of Eltham Palace

The elegant suites
Before discovering the 'entertaining' rooms, your journey through the 1930's continues to the stylish bedrooms.
A close-up of a bedroom interior at Eltham Palace, London, showing a ornate art deco bed with a red and gold bedspread, two plush chairs, and two table lamps with patterned shades. A vintage telephone sits on a bedside table, and a large painting with ornate framing adorns the wall.
Virginias Bedroom
The Courtauld’s suites would have been the height of modernity at the time, elegant lines and luxurious comforts, including en-suite bathrooms & walk in wardrobes.
A brightly lit, opulent bathroom at Eltham Palace, with a large white bathtub, a pedestal sink, and a long vanity with a marble countertop. A white marble statue, possibly depicting a Roman deity, is displayed on the bathtub ledge.
Virginias bathroom
Although the Courtaulds would have had separate suites, the chic styling of Virginia’s room continued through to Stephen’s.
A photo of a richly decorated bedroom in the art deco style at Eltham Palace, featuring a larger bed, a plush chair, a bedside table with a vintage telephone, and a painting. The bed has a gold bedspread in a geometric pattern.
Stephens Bedroom

The Courtaulds at Eltham Palace

Entertaining & Dining
Back down to the ground floor is where the Courtaulds would have been able to display their true style.
The drawing room at eltham palace, featuring a plush blue couch, a traditional fireplace, and a decorative table. The room has an elegant feel with high ceilings and heavy wooden beams.
The Drawing Room

The Drawing Room has more of a traditional feel to it, with some elements of the room that feel pretty historical.

Just in case you thought the Art Deco lines were over, the Dining Room has them in abundance.

The dining room at eltham palace with a rectangular wooden table and ten art deco leather chairs set around it. The chairs have high backs and are arranged on a plain rug. In the background, a large art deco fireplace with a black surround is flanked by two windows with dark dusty pink curtains.
The Dining Room
The Italian-designed room has some beautiful contrasting elements, particularly with the aluminium-leaf ceiling and the striking black and silver doors.
The black wooden door to eltham palace's dining room with gold geometric shapes and exotic animal inlays. The door is framed by wooden panelling and has a brass doorknob and hinges.
The Dining Room doors

We have a little book on our shelves that we sometimes delve into when we're about to hit an area of London.

Packed full of historical facts, and broken down into the different regions of London, it's a great resource to help you see what's hidden in plain sight.

Available in Kindle & Hardback editions, it's an excellent addition to anyone's collection who loves London.

I never knew that about London Cover

The Art Deco interiors of Elham Palace

A statement in time
Then, onto the boudoir; no house would be complete without one!
A sofa in the art deco boudoir in eltham palace in front of a bookshelf that runs a third of the height of the wood-panelled wall.
The sofa in the boudoir

Not only is this chic room filled with such style, but it also has a large leather map surrounding the fireplace, depicting Eltham Palace and its neighbouring area.

The Parisian map was made by sewing small pieces of leather together.

A photo of an art deco library with a large fireplace in the center, surrounded by short bookshelves filled with books. The bookshelves run a third of the height of the wall, and the chimney breast is decorated with map elements.
The fireplace and map in the boudoir

The rooms to discover in Elham Palace

The Map Room and Library
Recently uncovered to the public is the Map Room; under years of wallpaper, large maps were found pasted to the walls. Each map has a scene, and characters from around the world are painted next to them.
A narrow passage behind the library at Eltham Palace where the wall behind the desk is covered in framed maps, including a world map, a city map, and a nautical chart.
The Map Room

As the Courtaulds were keen travellers, the maps would have been used to plan their adventures around the globe.

Stephen had his own library, and evidence of his expeditions and mountaineering days were planned within here.

A photo of the library at eltham palace with a large, plush couch facing a wooden desk and chair. Sunlight streams through a window onto the desk, illuminating the library.
The Library

If you've yet to discover London and its ancient history, then let's start planning. I find these DK Eyewitness Travel Guides invaluable. They're extremely informative, easy to follow, and the pictures and maps tempt you into discovering more of those fascinating sites.

You can now grab a recently revised copy of this guidebook, so you won't miss a thing.

Image

Elham Palace's medieval past

Great Hall
One of the few remaining elements of the 15th-century palace is the Great Hall, built by Edward IV and dates from the 1470’s.
The richly detailed wooden ceiling of the grand hall at Eltham Palace with walls are lined with lanterns and dusty pink drapes.
The Great Hall

Many elaborate banquets would have been held below its magnificent oak roof.

It was dismantled and reassembled in 1911–14, and the hall itself was fully restored in the 1930’s.

The interior of the grand hall at Eltham Palace with a richly detailed wooden ceiling and stained glass windows. The floor is polished stone, and the walls are lined with lanterns and dusty pink drapes.
The Great Hall from the gallery
The Courtaulds also added the minstrels’ gallery, which could be accessed from the 1st floor.

Our video of Eltham Palace

We have created a little YouTube video of Eltham Palace.  Why not take a look?

Also, why not subscribe to our YouTube channel and get the latest clips as we post them?

Eltham Palace at wartime

A place of comfort
Unfortunately, the Courtaulds were at Eltham Palace during the Second World War and regularly had to retreat to the converted basement during air raids.
A brightly lit room with a green felt billiard table in the centre, illuminated by hanging light fixtures. The room has exposed brick walls and a colourful mural depicting medieval scenes on the wall behind the pool table.
Billiards in the bunker
However, as with the rest of the palace, comfort was high on their priority.

Why not?

Take a picnic and sit and admire the views across London’s skyline.

The gardens at Eltham Palace

A full 19 acres
Surrounding this lovely palace are 19 acres of gardens, around part of which the moat is still very evident & today full of fish.
The moat around eltham palace as seen from the pathway alongside with the rockery and trees in the background.
The moat around Eltham Palace

The medieval north bridge, moat walls and buttresses remain.

The Courtaulds carried out extensive work and planting to make the gardens into the pleasure they are today.

A close-up view of a stone walkway in a lush garden, surrounded by blooming flowers, verdant plants, and shady trees. The path meanders through the greenery, inviting exploration.
The formal gardens

Have You?

Visited Eltham Palace? Or any other of English Heritages 400+ sites? What's your favourite?

* This post may contain links to affiliated sites where we earn a small commission at no additional charge to you.

Share this post

  1. Reply

    Iv’e visited the Palace too and its a real visual treat. I didn’t see the billiard room or the map room, so that was really interesting to read about. Enjoyed reading all your historical information, it is a fantastic building. I also loved the old black & white audio visual footage of it in & around the 30s with the Caultaulds family. Did you see that ?X

  2. Reply

    Hi Paula,Thanks for commenting. The Map Room has recently been opened to the public. I believe more rooms may open in future as restoration permits. The Billiard room is in the basement, where the Courtaulds sheltered from the bombing in WWII. They made their shelter as comfortable as they could. There’s also a darkroom down there too. We watched the intro movie in the Venetian room – a real throwback to ’20’s Britain.We glad you enjoyed the post, and it showed you something new.Janis & Gary

    1. Author
      Reply

      Thanks Stefan, yes it really is beautiful and I love the Art Deco furniture. The map room is fascinating, it’s unbelievable that it has only recently been uncovered.
      We’ve been catching up on The Crown and Eltham Palace is featured in that.

Leave a Reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.