Banquets details are as follows

Let the fun and feasting begin!

Built between 1480 and 1497 the building now known as the Old Palace was originally known as the Palace of Bishops of Ely. However, King Henry VIII took such a liking to it that he acquired it in 1538 as a nursery for his children, Mary, Edward and Elizabeth. It was 20 years later on November 17th that Elizabeth was proclaimed Queen of England.

The new young Queen held her first Council of State at the Great Hall at Hatfield, and later that day rode to London to take up residence at the Tower while awaiting her coronation.

In 1607 Elizabeth's successor, King James 1st, granted the lands and Palace of Hatfield to Robert Cecil, first Earl of Salisbury, He decided to build a new Palace using much of the brickwork and materials from the original Palace. The result was the Palace known nowadays as Hatfield House which remains the ancestral home of the Cecil family, today the Marquess and Marchioness of Salisbury. The surviving wing of the Old Palace, which contains the Great Hall is now known as The Old Palace. 

Thousands of visitors come to Hatfield House each year to enjoy the historical treasures of the House, tour the beautiful gardens and enjoy the freedom of the extensive grounds. An important part of their visit will be to the Old Palace and its elegant court yard which has hardly changed since Elizabethan times. 

Outside, the rich handmade brickwork of the Old Palace is continued across the courtyard of the Gatehouse, complemented by original leaded light windows at a high level. Inside the Great Hall, huge tapestries adorn much of the exposed brickwork while the dark timbers of the vaulted roof look down on a setting which has borne witness to many conspiracies, affairs of state and high feasting.

Most of the all, the Old Palace is still a living, breathing structure, much used for events, celebrations and events of all kinds. On a warm summers evening, when the costumed Elizabethan performers are hosting a banquet and the sound of madrigals drifts across the courtyard, the Golden Age of Elizabeth seems like yesterday.

Tel: 01707 262055
Fax: 01707 260898
Email: banquets@theoldpalace.co.uk