Palace of Placentia

One of London’s lost palaces, of particular importance under the Tudor monarchs. Built on the banks of the River Thames in Greenwich in the 15th century. It had been known under the name Bella Court first, but was renamed as the Palace of Placentia on Margaret of Anjou’s initiative, the wife of King Henry VI.

This Royal Palace became the place of birth for King Henry VIII in 1491. Placentia was the birth-place of the King’s daughter from his marriage with Catherine of Aragon, Mary Tudor (Queen Mary I) in 1516. The second daughter of Henry VIII, Elisabeth Tudor (Queen Elizabeth I), from his marriage with Anne Boleyn was also born at Placentia in 1533. Here the King married Anne of Cleves in 1540.

During the reign of Queen Elisabeth I, the Palace was made the scene of great events connected with many naval voyages of exploration. Here at Placentia Queen Elisabeth signed the death warrant of Mary, Queen of Scots in 1587 and signed the orders to send her fleet against the Spanish Armada in 1588. However, later Placentia fell into disrepair during the English Civil War (1642–1651).

In 1660, Charles II decided to rebuild the Palace, but only one part of the Palace was completed, and it was never occupied as a royal residence. Most of the rest of the palace was demolished. Today, the only sections of the Palace remaining are the Tudor Chapel and Vestry.

In 1694 at the site of the former Placentia Palace began constructions of Greenwich Hospital, which became the Greenwich Royal Naval College in 1873. Nowadays, the buildings are occupied by the University of Greenwich.

Sources:

http://www.britannia.com/history/londonhistory/grw-pal1.html

http://www.bbc.co.uk/london/content/articles/2006/02/17/insideout_tudorchapel_feature.shtml

http://www.oldroyalnavalcollege.org/greenwich-palace,33,AT.html