Royal chapel is uncovered

26 January 2006

Henry's place: an excavator records details of the find

A ROYAL chapel last seen more than 350 years ago and used by three generations of monarchs has been uncovered by gardeners.

The original brickwork of a 16th century royal chapel, built by Henry VII, was discovered during work to relay pavements at the Old Royal naval College, Greenwich.

The chapel floor

A huge archaeological dig is now under way in a bid to restore the chapel, believed to have also been used by Henry VIII and Elizabeth I, to its former glory

The original and completely intact Tudor vault is supported by a high altar platform, which is covered in glazed tiles. Excavation has also revealed the vestry, linked to the chapel by an anteroom and a carved stone doorway.

The chapel and vestry survived the demolition of the rest of the Palace of Placentia, the original brick riverside palace at Greenwich built by Henry VII between 1500 and 1504.

Among the finds so far are fragments of stained glass, lead glazing bars and moulded Caen stone tracery, probably from the Chapel windows. Excavation is ongoing.

King Henry VII was famous for seizing the English throne with victory over Richard III at the War of the Roses, and for fathering England's most famous monarch, Henry VIII.

Duncan Wilson, chief executive of the Greenwich Foundation, which manages the whole site, said: "This is a major discovery and significantly increases our knowledge of Tudor Greenwich. We're very excited by what we have discovered and hope to display the most interesting finds in our visitor centre.

Chief Executive of English Heritage Simon Thurley added: "This is an astonishing survival.

"For the first time we can see, close up and in detail, the east end of a Tudor Royal Chapel. Unlike Hampton Court and St James's Palace, where the chapels have been altered, here we can see what Henry VII, Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I would have seen.

"These have the potential to throw fresh light on the inner workings of the Tudor Court."

After excavation is complete, the site is set to be covered over again to protect it. That is believed to begin at the end of this week. The historic site will then be cleaned and full details recorded before it is covered with a protective layer and re-sealed.

Archaeologist Julian Bowsher said: "The remains are fragile and would deteriorate quickly if they remained open to the elements. We will extract as much information as possible.