Jousting in the Tiltyard

Visited Hampton Court Palace today. There are many willow figures including this jouster in the tiltyard. The name the Tiltyard comes from the ’tilt’ , the barrier used to separate the horseback riders competing in Tudor jousts there. The Tiltyard was constructed for Henry V111(r1509-1547) in about 1537 complete with five towers for his guests to view these mock battles. One tower remains but is not open to visitors. By this time Henry was injured and seems to have made little use of it. Queen Mary and her husband Philip 11 of Spain held a spectacular joust here in 1557 when 200 spears were broken. Part of the area is now a kitchen garden and an arboretum.
The palace was much busier than when I visited a month ago, parts of the Palace were open not just the gardens.

- friends over to coffee and they brought back the bike they had borrowed for visiting relatives
- cycled to Hampton Court with a friend , got a puncture when nearly there. Had to phone husband to come and collect me in the car when we had finished or visit!
- took delivery of lovely print that a local photographer had produced in lockdown of 25 scenes of Teddington. She is donating 25% of her profits to the local Landmark Arts Centre which was supposed to be celebrating their 25 year anniversary in May but instead found themselves in big financial difficulties due to Covid-19.