CAMERA CAPERS

We were really lucky to have a Blue Badge Guide to take us around the House.   Built in the 1930's by the Courtaulds,Eltham Palace is decorated in the Art Deco style and is very glamourous. The house has all mod cons of the day, including all the clocks, on the ground floor at least, being wired to tell the exact time at the same time and hidden vacuum cleaner points in every room, i.e. the hose is attached to a point in the wall and the dust is transferred to a central point in the basement.  Over the side of the entrance to the house                                   Looking up in the entrance - these are all little glass windows.  If you look carefully you can see parts of the roof. Above the entrance hall - I think these are also small glass windows. Marquetry frieze on the wall on either side of the entrance. Cocktails ready for guests as they arrive - sadly not for us thou...

Whan an amazing visit this was.  Angie and I were lucky to be able to go on this trip with the U3A - it was very popular apparently and the coach was full.  Eltham Palace is in South London and is managed by English Heritage.   There has been a building on this site since William the Conqueror's time. Monarchs often stayed here and hunted in the surrounding countryside.  The medieval great hall was apparently quite dilapidated when Stephen Courtauld, and his wife Virginia, leased the property in the 1930s and were granted permission to build a property adjacent to the great hall.  They were granted permission with the proviso that they restored the medieval great hall (it wouldn't happen today!).    I took so many photos that I will write this up in three parts, starting with the Great Hall In Part 2:  photos of the house.