Today, the Upper and Lower Sixth Historians joined forces to explore the iconic Hampton Court Palace. It was amazing to see the Tudor period we’ve been studying so closely come to life in front of us. We started off the day with a fantastic tour around the sprawling great halls by expert, Toby – he showed us the stunning tapestries which (although having collected a stain or two) have survived 500 years and are the second most expensive item in England today, triumphed only by the Crown Jewels. This made it clear to us, from the get-go, that Hampton Court was designed to impress. Walking through the private chambers also gave us valuable insight into how deeply factionalism shaped court life, allowing us to recognise that the palace was, at its core, tailored to provide political benefit for the monarch and to reinforce hierarchy. In the afternoon, we explored the rest of the palace, including the remarkable royal chapel, whose ceiling rivalled the intricacy of piped icing on a royal cake! Immersing ourselves in the Tudor world was not only magical but incredibly informative and an experience that will stand us in good stead as we continue to evaluate the stability of the monarchy in our lessons.

Ms Wadham and Ms Boon made the trip such a special one for everybody and their enthusiasm really brought the palace to life. A personal highlight was definitely our walk through the gardens at the end, which were absolutely beautiful, particularly with the late afternoon sun streaming through the trees. It was such a privilege to visit somewhere as historically significant and majestic as Hampton Court and we will definitely be returning there in our own time soon!

Tally and Jui, Lower Sixth History Prefects