Whitehall court

Whitehall Court, designed by Thomas Archer and A. Green in 1884, was initially built as a luxury apartment block. Inspired by a French chateau, the stunning architecture earned the building its listed status. However, behind its grand design was a dark history involving Liberal MP and property developer Jabez Balfour. Balfour orchestrated a massive fraud through the Liberator Building Society, which collapsed in 1892, leaving thousands of investors broke. Instead of using funds to help homebuyers, Balfour funnelled money into his own property deals at inflated prices.

In 1971, the central part of Whitehall Court, formerly belonging to the National Liberal Club, was converted into a hotel. Guoman Hotels acquired the property in 2008 and undertook a £20 million refurbishment. The building is near Westminster, boasting quintessentially British features—high ceilings, a magnificent freestanding marble staircase (the largest in Europe), glittering chandeliers, and stunning Thames and the London Eye views. The Victorian-era building, initially created as a hub for the National Liberal Club by Prime Minister William Gladstone, is steeped in history.

Visitors can explore iconic rooms like The Gladstone Library, where replicas of the original 30,000 volumes recreate its former grandeur. Once a billiards room, the Whitehall Suite showcases intricate faïence tiles on its grand columns. At the same time, the original balcony—once used by ladies to discreetly observe gentlemen at play—remains a hidden treasure.

Whitehall Palace - demolished

The Palace of Whitehall, located in Westminster, served as the primary residence of English monarchs from 1530 until 1698, when much of it was destroyed by fire. Although most of the palace was lost, the Banqueting House, designed by Inigo Jones in 1622, survived. The area where the palace once stood is still called Whitehall and remains central to the British government.

At its peak, Whitehall was the largest palace in Europe, boasting over 1,500 rooms. It even surpassed the grandeur of the Palace of Versailles for a time. The sprawling complex covered roughly 23 acres, stretching from Northumberland Avenue to Downing Street and nearly reaching Derby Gate, with the River Thames to its east (before the construction of the Victoria Embankment reclaimed some land from the river).

The Palace of Westminster, originally the principal royal residence since 1049, had been severely damaged by fire in 1512. As a result, King Henry VIII moved his court to York Place, which he acquired from Cardinal Wolsey in 1530. Henry renamed it Whitehall, inspired by the white stone used in its buildings. Over the years, he expanded it significantly, adding sporting facilities like a bowling green, a tennis court, a cockfighting pit (where the Cabinet Office now stands), and a jousting tiltyard (now Horse Guards Parade). The palace became the site of many key events, including Henry's marriage to Anne Boleyn in 1533, Jane Seymour in 1536, and his death there in 1547.

Whitehall hosted many royal occasions. In 1611, the first recorded performance of Shakespeare’s *The Tempest* took place at the palace. In 1613, it was the venue for the grand wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Frederick V of the Palatinate. The palace's importance grew under King James I, who commissioned significant additions, including the Banqueting House. Completed in 1622, it featured an iconic ceiling painted by Peter Paul Rubens, which remains intact today. In 1649, this building witnessed the execution of Charles I, an event that would go down in history.

Whitehall grew into a sprawling, irregular complex with a mix of architectural styles, looking more like a small town than a single palace. Courtiers frequently expanded their lodgings within the palace, resulting in a patchwork of buildings. For example, Stephen Fox, an official under Charles II, expanded his assigned rooms into a grand mansion with a view of the Thames.

Over time, however, Whitehall saw many changes. James II ordered further renovations, including a grand chapel adorned with over 8,000 pieces of gold leaf. By 1691, the palace had become Europe's largest labyrinth of rooms and corridors.

Unfortunately, Whitehall's fate was sealed in 1698 when a second fire devastated the complex. It started in a servant’s room and spread rapidly, engulfing the palace over 15 hours. Despite efforts by Christopher Wren to save key sections, much of the palace was destroyed. Only the Banqueting House was spared, thanks to quick action by bricklayers who blocked its windows to protect it from the flames. Other structures, like the iconic Holbein Gate, survived temporarily but were later demolished.

The fire also claimed many priceless works of art, including Michelangelo’s *Cupid*, Hans Holbein's famous mural of Henry VIII, and Gian Lorenzo Bernini’s bust of Charles I.

Although most of the palace is gone, remnants are often incorporated into newer government buildings. The Banqueting House remains the most prominent survivor and stands as a testament to the palace's grandeur. Other traces of the original Whitehall, like a tower and parts of the tennis courts from Henry VIII’s time, have been absorbed into modern structures such as the Old Treasury and Cabinet Office.

One particularly interesting relic is Henry VIII’s Wine Cellar, a Tudor-era vaulted brick undercroft discovered during the construction of the Ministry of Defence building in the 1930s. It was preserved and carefully relocated to its current spot beneath the MOD building in 1949, where it remains a hidden piece of Tudor history.

Whitehall's legacy continues through these surviving elements, and while much of the grand palace is lost to time, its impact on British history is still felt today. The site where monarchs once lived now serves as the heart of British governance, housing important government offices and symbolising the country’s past.