Lost its Sheen.

Although I've lived within walking distance of Richmond Palace for over 6 years, it took our American friends Matt & Lori to draw my attention to its history. So after taking this picture I did a bit of further reading...

Sheen Manor House first stood on the site. This became a Royal Palace when Edward I brought his court here in 1299.
In 1377 Edward III died at the Palace.
Richard II lived here from 1383. His wife, Anne of Bohemia, loved it so much that after her dead from plague in 1394, Richard had the palace pulled down (A bit of an over reaction maybe?).
Henry V ordered rebuilding to begin in 1414, but construction was mainly in timber & the palace was destroyed by fire in 1497.
Henry VII rebuilt again & changed the name to Richmond Palace, after his title as Earl of Richmond (in Yorkshire). He died here in 1509.
Henry VIII was so jealous of Cardinal Wolsey's Hampton Court that he took it for himself & gave Wolsey Richmond Palace instead.
The future Elizabeth I was held prisoner here by Mary I, but she can't have minded too much, as she continued to enjoy spending time at the palace after she became Queen. Plays would sometimes be staged here for her entertainment, and it is thought Shakespeare may have performed.
Elizabeth died here in 1603.
After the execution of Charles I in 1649 the Commonwealth Parliament ordered the sale of the palace & it was destroyed for a final time. The gatehouse is pretty much all that survives from Tudor times.

Anyway, it's Matt's birthday today, so we're off out with him for a beer & a curry (again!).