Sweetbriar Dreams

So where shall we go on our journey today?

Tuesday 2 December 2014

Hampton Court Palace - Part Two (Downstairs)

So, are you ready for part two?  You have now met Henry VIII and looked around his rooms, let's now go 'downstairs' to see where all the work took place!
The heart of the home is the kitchen, and my word, what a kitchen!  There are many different areas for the food preparation, keeping food cool (running north to south so that the sun didn't shine through), butchering, boiling, pastry making.  Everything was thought of.  Some areas of the kitchen are on show, some are not, but when I saw this fire place, I felt right at home!
Look at the size of it!  And can you see the spits that would have held so many amazing roasting meats!  We stood near this and the heat was certainly welcome, and to see the soot on the outside of the chimney breast was gorgeous!

On the other side another, more petite oven (well, compared to that monster).
Can you imagine the army of servants that would have been rushing up and down these rooms supplying feast after feast each day.
Even the Pestle and Mortar was of mammoth proportions!  My friend (K) was standing behind this so you can see the scale of it.
Another fireplace, and I think this was for the smoking of fish due to the baskets nearby with fish stacked inside (not real I may add!).
Do you want to see up the chimney?
Can you imagine sweeping out that beauty?

Down the corridor were some serving hatches where the finished food was passed.  Here we have the many pewter dishes and drinking receptacles.
Clerks would work along here counting all the pewter dishes etc so that the exact same number returned to the kitchen.
I can imagine all the smells that would have filled the air and noses each day, and the hard work of making sure everyone was fed.
But enough of the food, let's get serious!  Wine!!
Me, Miss Teen and K must have looked pretty desperate when we started to sniff the wood of these barrels - but the smell of wine could still be picked up... delicious!  Just down some stairs there was Henry VIII's beautiful wine cellar...
Its stairs were very well worn, something I love to see.
As we walked along the corridors and alley ways, it felt as though we were walking along a village street in the evening.
And this walkway had to be my favourite.
With its Tudor beams windows and brick work - I was VERY happy!
This corridor however made me feel a little uneasy.  I don't know why, but I didn't want to go down there.
But, I was now going to be VERY happy!  A Chocolate Kitchen!!  NO!  Not made of chocolate, this was where King George I and II's Chocolate Maker worked.
Thomas Tosier worked here during the 1700's with spices and preparing the chocolate which would take hours.  It was then poured into silver or gold pots and served in porcelain cups.
Yes, I would have been very happy to work here, however my production would have been terrible!
So that's 'downstairs'.  If you missed 'upstairs' my post is here.  Give me a couple of days and 'Garden' will be ready!
Thanks so much for popping by, and for those leaving a comment on my previous post.  I will visit you very soon.

Take care.


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This week I am sharing with:

30 comments:

  1. Wow it looks fantastic, I love looking at places like this, hubs and I have promised ourselves to visit more historical places next year x

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  2. I was hoping you would show the chocolate room - it was wonderful wasn't it! I would have been useless working there, I would definitely have eaten more than I made! Lovely to see the kitchens again too - and readers, I can confirm, they are as massive as Chel says!! xx

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  3. What beautiful tactile pictures - a place I would love to visit, one day.

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  4. I love to see the kitchens when we visit stately homes or castles. Let's face it, if I'd lived back then, I'd probably have been working in one of those rather than being an upstairs kind of person! :oD

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  5. Such an amazing place - what work there was to take care of all the "upstairs" people. Scrubbing the kitchen floor takes on a whole new meaning with the size of that one! The chocolate room - don't we all need one of those? Right next to the wine cellar!

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  6. This is another very interesting post Chel. I can't imagine the workers and the conditions in those times to do all the kitchen work for those in the household. The fire places are huge! Imagine having one's own chocolatier! Yum. Thanks for sharing the downstairs. Pam

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  7. What an amazing kitchen and fireplace! I had envisioned the kitchens would be low ceilinged and small (like Downton Abby!). I was wondering how hard it would be for the servants to smell all the delicious aromas of roasting meats, and probably not getting much till the chores were finished. Love the wine cellar, probably the most worn steps in the whole castle. I wonder if you sensed a ghost down that alley? Your photo of it gives it a certain chill. Another beautiful post Chel, and a wonderful castle. Wendy x

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  8. What a place! I visited Hampton Court once before in 2000 and I hope to take my daughter there in March. She'll love to see the costumed guides and the beautiful "upstairs" rooms. I've shared these pics with her and she is already very excited!!

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  9. It's a place that you need to take your time and really soak it in....thinking about how it was in years past. Beautiful photos my friend! Hugs, Diane

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  10. This is my FAVORITE part of any big house I visit. How awesome to have the chance to walk around there. I had seen the kitchen on the show I watched about Hampton Court and I thought it was so fascinating. Thank you again for sharing your visit.

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  11. Amazing photos...those fireplaces are enormous! Such history you are sharing with us. Love it. Have a wonderful Wednesday.

    Blessings, Vicky

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  12. I really enjoyed looking at the kitchen and the fireplaces are so huge! I can't imagine having my own chocolates made up! I can't wait to see the gardens. Thanks so much for sharing and explaining everything. I hope you have a nice Wednesday and enjoy the rest of the week.
    Julie

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  13. What another wonderful visit and so well photographed! I especially love the third shot of the fireplace. Gorgeous! I wouldn't mind sitting there to gaze at the flames and warm my toes!

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  14. SO beautiful every picture makes me want to come visit. Keep up the wonderful blog I love it.

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  15. Oh, this was absolutely fascinating, Chel! I just loved it. I would also love to see this palace in person and appreciate you sharing it with us.

    I wanted to know if you know of any wonderful places for two American ladies to stay on a trip to England and what places you would recommend they visit. One of my sister's best friends wants to rent a cottage or a place in the countryside and isn't sure what to tour first. Do you have any recommendations?

    Thanks,

    Sheila

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    1. Hi Sheila, can you email me with your email address as you are showing up as a no reply blogger, I'll then see what your friends are in to xx

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  16. Wow, amazing, I have always wanted to visit but have never had the chance to so far.

    Thanks so much for taking us along.

    Helenxx

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  17. Just looked at the two blogs. As close as the place is to me I have never visited yet but it is high on my listto go to now. The firepalce is huge, it did not register till I saw the guy standing by it. I saw huge ones in Glastonbury butthat one is bigger. Shame you did not get any in the chapel but I will try to remidy that.

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  18. Oh my goodness! The fireplaces are incredible! Huge. I love the worn staircases too. Love, love, love the history. I could go into old places all the time and just soak it all up. Just trying to imagine what life was like is mind-blowing! Thank you! Thank you! for sharing. I really enjoy going along.
    hugs,
    Cecilia

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  19. Old kitchens fascinate me but that one trumps the lot!

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  20. Beautiful kitchen and did someone say chocolate?

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  21. I remember the kitchens very well! Your pictures are great. Is that okay if I show them to my pupils?

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    1. Of course you can Magali. I hope they enjoy them! Part three should be on the blog this evening xx

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  22. I can't even imagine the volume of food they went through in a day. All that real food, amazing.

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  23. Oh, such fun to see the 'inner workings' of the kitchens, Chel! Gives new meaning to the term, 'Roast Beast'! I love the brickwork and those lovely blue and white chocolate pots. I can see why you would get the willy-nilly's going down that corridor:) Looking forward to seeing the gardens! xo Karen

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  24. I completely lose myself in a place like that. It's like you step through a portal and are in the moment. Thanks so much for sharing your visit!

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  25. Such an amazing place and wonderful photos. I really felt as if I were there viewing them. Those ovens look mighty HOT. I liked the wine barrel photos very much.

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  26. Pity that they don;t have a chocolatier in residence giving demo and selling the chocolate creations

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  27. Right that's it. Anywhere that has a chocolate kitchen has got to be worth a visit. That fireplace is amazing.
    Ali xx

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  28. An impressive look around another part of the building with some good shots following on from part 1. Photographically I think image 14 of the light and brickwork is stunning as is the last one in the set.

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