Found these photos of Hatfield House which I took a few years ago and completely forgot about them. Hatfield House is usually remembered as the childhood home of Queen Elizabeth 1st. Very little remains of the original Hatfield House. The older part of the palace was built by Cardinal John Morton, Bishop of Ely in 1497. Morton is a fascinating character in history, a supporter of Lancaster in the Wars of the Roses but served under the Yorkist King Edward IV, before conspiring with Henry VII's mother, Margaret Beaufort to topple Richard III. He served Henry VII well, and was the architect of Henry's financial policy, 'Morton's Fork'. Put simply, those who spent money, must have a lot of money in reserve, and those who didn't, obviously saved it! This was to be made available to the King, through forced loans and benevolences.
Elizabeth 1st spend a great deal of her childhood at Hatfield, and was also there when she heard the news her sister Mary was dead and she was now Queen. Hatfield eventually passed into the hands of the Cecil family, and it was Robert Cecil, Earl of Salisbury, who rebuilt it. Hatfield is often used for filming locations, and films include Shakespeare in Love, Sleepy Hollow, Elizabeth, the Golden Age and The Favourite, amongst others. It's also popular in television shows. It's very easy to spot!
Functions such as weddings are held here. Just imagine marrying in Elizabeth 1st's former home!
Inside the Jacobean part of Hatfield House.
The outside of the Jacobean building. Instantly recognisable in films and tv shows.
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