Historic Royal Palaces - The Banqueting House
The Site of King Charles I's Execution
© Kim Rush
Sep 10, 2009
The Banqueting House stands on the same site as a 14th-century residence for the Archbishops of York. The residence, named York Place, was near the royal family’s principal London residence at Westminster. In 1514, King Henry VIII appointed Thomas Wolsey Archbishop of York. Wolsey extended York Place and it was a favorite place for the king to visit. In the 1520s Wolsey fell from favor because he was unable to obtain a divorce for the king. Henry VIII stripped him of his property in the south, including York Place. He renamed the property Whitehall.
The Palace of Whitehall
York Place was an important acquisition for Henry. In 1512, the palace at Westminster was destroyed in a fire. Henry had been staying at Lambeth Place while in London. York Place provided him with a residence more suited to royalty in Westminster. Henry expanded the building and grounds further. He built a number of tennis courts, a tiltyard, and a cockpit. At Henry’s death, the palace of Whitehall covered 23 acres. It was the largest palace in Europe.
The Banqueting House
As the official residence of the monarch in Westminster, the palace was the site of many ceremonies and entertainments. Sometimes temporary structures were erected for these purposes. In 1581, Queen Elizabeth I ordered the construction of a large banqueting house to mark marriage negotiations with the Duke of Alencon. The building was located on the same site as the present Banqueting House. Although the building was meant to be a temporary structure, it was used for the next 25 years. In 1606 King James I ordered the construction of a permanent building.
The new Banqueting House was completed in 1609. Its purpose was to provide a stage for masques, a type of court entertainment. It was also used for the ceremony of Touching the King’s Evil and the distribution of alms to the poor on Maundy Thursday. In 1619 the house was destroyed in a fire. James ordered it re-construction immediately.
In 1629, James’s son, Charles I commissioned Sir Peter Paul Rubens, an envoy of King Philip IV of Spain, to paint a series of ceiling canvases in the Banqueting House. Rubens used four canvasses, two 28x20 feet and two 40x10 feet, to cover the ceiling. The canvasses were completed in 1635 and placed in 1636.
Royal Reception Room
The Banqueting House was no longer used for masques after the canvases were installed. Many worried that the torches used to light the productions would damage the paintings. Instead, the Banqueting House was used as a ceremonial chamber. It became the most important reception room in the palace and was used to receive ambassadors.
The Execution of Charles I
On January 30, 1649, the Banqueting House was used for a more sinister purpose. After seven years, the English Civil War was over. King Charles I was convicted of treason and sentenced to death. He was executed on a scaffold erected in front of the Banqueting House.
After Charles I’s execution, Whitehall was deserted for many years until Oliver Cromwell, the Lord Protector, took up residence in 1654. The Banqueting House became his receiving hall. After Cromwell died in 1658, Parliament tried to sell the palace, but were unsuccessful.
The Restoration of the Monarchy
When the monarchy was restored in 1660, Parliament ordered the restoration of the palace. On May 29, King Charles II arrived at the Banqueting House after his triumphant procession through the streets of London. At Whitehall he received both Houses of Parliament and the palace once again became the site for receiving ambassadors to the Court.
William and Mary
King James II was the last king to live at the palace of Whitehall. The Banqueting House was used as a storage room. After James II’s abdication, members of Parliament offered the British crown to the future King William III and Queen Mary II. This event took place on February 13, 1689. The new king and queen did not like the damp air at Whitehall and moved the Court to Kensington Palace. In 1694, the Banqueting House was used for ceremonial purposes again when it was used for Queen Mary’s lying-in-state.
In 1698, the palace of Whitehall was destroyed by fire. Only the Banqueting House and two gates survived. Although plans were made to rebuild the palace, no construction occurred. Shortly after the fire, William commissioned Sir Christopher Wren to convert the Banqueting House into a Chapel Royal to replace the chapel destroyed in the fire. William attended Christmas service there in 1698 and the building continued to be used a chapel until 1890.
Modern Use
In 1890 the house was decommissioned as a chapel. Three years later, Queen Victoria allowed the Royal United Services Institute to use the Banqueting House as a museum. Today the Banqueting House has been restored and stands as a reminder of its glory days.
Source:
Historic Royal Palaces. “Banqueting House” (accessed September 9, 2009)
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