Eltham Palace and Gardens

☀ The Eltham Palace Summer Fair is a week away today! Have you booked your tickets yet? 🎟

Join us for a day of browsing the stalls of creative local vendors, playing lawn games, and exploring the beautiful gardens of Eltham.

https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/eltham-palace-summer-fair-sat-20-jun/

Our Summer Fair at Eltham Palace is coming up fast!

Join us on the 20th June for a day of browsing stalls run by our local creatives, garden tours hosted by our gardens team, lawn games on the south lawn, and exploring our incredible site. All included in your standard ticket!

Book your tickets now https://www.english-heritage.org.uk/visit/whats-on/eltham-palace-summer-fair-sat-20-jun/

❗Please be aware that Eltham Palace will be closed on the 15th, 16th, and 23rd June for private hires. ❗ Additionally between these times you may see objects and furniture being moved around from their normal place. Private hires such as these help us to generate the vital income that is needed for us to maintain and preseve our historic site for the coming generations. 🎥

If you had a pre-booked visit during these dates, we’ll automatically refund your booking within 10 working days. We apologise for any inconvenience and are ever grateful for your understanding!

🏳️‍🌈Happy Pride Month! 🏳️‍🌈
Historic sites preserve a lot more than just the architecture and artefacts found at them. We also preserve the stories of everyone who's ever been a part of the site, revealing changing ideas throughout history about society, identity, and private lives. The stories of q***r people are part of those that we find and share! John Seeley, Paul Paget, as well as Edward II, are just some of those that have touched Eltham over the years. Take a look at the attached pictures to find out more about them!

Please join us on Saturday 13th June at 12:00 and 14:00 for a talk exploring the "Hidden Q***r Lives in British Architecture" about Seeley and Paget - no booking required! 🌈 🌈 ***rhistory ***rstories

We would like to end Volunteers Week by celebrating the incredible volunteers who help bring Eltham Palace & Gardens to life every day!☀️

This week, a group of our volunteers enjoyed a reciprocal visit to Kenwood House and St Paul's Cathedral, exploring another remarkable English Heritage site, as well as one of our fellow London landmarks, sharing experiences and connecting with more volunteers.

From welcoming visitors and sharing stories to helping care for our historic spaces, our volunteers make a lasting difference. Their enthusiasm, knowledge, and dedication enrich every visit and help us protect these special places for future generations.

Volunteering is crucial to the ongoing work of English Heritage, and we are so thankful for the time that our volunteers dedicate toward the upkeep of our site.

Thank you to each and every one of our volunteers for everything you do. We couldn't do it without you.❤️

On this day in 1536, Queen Anne Boleyn was executed at the Tower of London.

This quiet alcove at Eltham Palace once led to the Queen’s apartments during the Tudor period. Almost 500 years ago, Anne herself may have walked through this very space while staying at Eltham alongside Henry VIII.

It’s extraordinary to stand here today and imagine the contrast. The splendour of court life, the political intrigue, and the terrifying speed at which destiny could change in Tudor England.

These walls witnessed moments of royal ceremony and private conversation long before Anne became one of history’s most famous queens. Her story still captivates us, perhaps, because it changed England forever.

A latte and a little treat? Don’t mind if we do ☕️

Enjoy a freshly baked scone for just £1 when you buy any hot drink in our cafés at Eltham Palace. Plus, add on jam and cream as extras for the ultimate cosy café moment.

The perfect excuse for a palace stroll and a coffee stop. See you soon!

* T&C’s apply, as on site for more info.

Here are 3 lowkey mistakes people make when they visit us 👀

With plenty of access to public transport, regular exciting ad-hoc history talks, and our award winning gardens, don’t sleep on all that Eltham Palace has to offer!

What are your top tips for a great visit? Comment down below and we’ll rate your tip 💯😅

Hey, you! Fancy being part of our upcoming summer fair?

Eltham Palace and Gardens is looking for vendors to join us at our historic site, as we welcome swaths of visitors to our next event on Saturday 20th June. We’re specifically looking for garden/plant vendors and handmade/costume jewellery makers.
So, if you fit the bill and are up for joining us then please DM us with the following information included ⬇️

- First name of main contact and email address
- Business name and product summary
- Confirmation that you have: availability on the 20th June; suitable public liability insurance; sufficient POS supplies (a table can be provided by site).

‼️ Contacting us does not guarantee a space at the event. We will never get in touch via social media to ask for sensitive details or payments.

Here’s a rare view of our stunning Great Hall roof 😍

Built for Edward IV in the 1470s, our vast hall has hosted royal feasts, entertainments, and court receptions. Its oak roof is one of the largest false hammer-beam roofs in England, and the young Henry VIII would have seen it regularly as he grew up here at Eltham.

These photos were taken high up in the west wall from the archers’ gallery, giving an unusual close-up look at the intricate timberwork, curved braces, and even some of the steel rivets added to support the roof in the early 20th century.

On your next visit, look closely to find subtle traces of gilding that once made this roof even more dazzling ✨