7 reasons why Eltham Palace is worth a visit

Located on a quiet backroad in Eltham lined with statuesque houses, one of which was formerly occupied by Kate Bush, you’ll find Eltham Palace and Gardens.

Stepping inside the space you’d be forgiven for thinking it wasn’t actually within a busy south east London borough and instead in the countryside.

Located on a quiet backroad in Eltham lined with statuesque houses, you’ll find Eltham Palace and Gardens. (Image: Emily Davison)

With its abundance of flowers, wildlife and quaint houses nearby, this place has been a part of the Eltham landscape since it was first built in the 14th century.

The palace later served as a home for the millionaire Courtauld family, who lived there from 1933 until 1944, and they even had a pet ring-tailed lemur by the name of Jongy who had his own quarters.

The palace served as a home for the millionaire Courtauld family, who lived there from 1933 until 1944. (Image: Emily Davison)

The setting has also captured the imagination of filmmakers and creatives, and has served as a backdrop for many films and TV shows over the years.

Now owned by English Heritage, the palace with its 19 acres of gardens and mix of 14th century and 20th century architecture is well worth the visit. 

We’ve put together 7 reasons why we think you should visit Eltham Palace and why it makes for a great day out in south east London:

Idyllic gardens

The grounds at Eltham Palace boast 19 acres of land with formal gardens, sloping lawns and old passageways to explore.

The gardens, like the castle, also have an interesting mix of old and new, from 14th century walls to formal gardens with Italian touches that were created during the time of the Courtauld family.

The gardens have an interesting mix of old and new, from 14th century walls to formal gardens. (Image: Emily Davison)

If you visit the gardens during the summer months you’ll find plenty of colourful and fragrant blooms, from pink hydrangeas to bright blue alliums.

But no matter what time you visit, the gardens always have something on offer, from fragrant wisteria in the spring to vibrant autumn colour, as well as a festive light trail in December.

The wildlife

Although you won’t spot anything as exotic as a ring-tailed lemur anymore, Eltham Place still has its share of wildlife.

If you’re someone who enjoys spectating the wildlife, the gardens have it in abundance, from large carp and families of ducks in the moat to squirrels and bees attracted by the wildflower meadow in the gardens.

If you sit by the moat on a pleasant day you can spot the fish swimming in the water and the ducklings that live there.

If you’re someone who likes taking aesthetic shots, Eltham Palace has so much in the way of scenic backdrops to find. (Image: Emily Davison)

Instagrammable spots

If you’re someone who likes taking aesthetic shots, Eltham Palace has so much in the way of scenic backdrops to find, from the exterior structure of the Palace itself, visible from various angles of the gardens, to the bank by the moat with a view of the stone bridge from below.

But don’t just take our word for it, photos with the hashtag #ElthamPalace alone have been shared over 23,000 times on Instagram.

London’s “oldest” working bridge

To get into the palace and grounds you walk across a stone bridge, which also happens to be London’s “oldest” working bridge.

It was built in 1390 by King Richard II, who commissioned the bridge to replace the former wooden bridge that was in its place.

To get into the palace and grounds you walk across a stone bridge, which also happens to be London’s “oldest” working bridge. (Image: Emily Davison)

The construction of the bridge was famously supervised by Geoffrey Chaucer, known for his works The Canterbury Tales.

Today, as you walk across the bridge, you can see the moat below as well as the walled gardens, which were also built by King Richard II to host parties and to entertain members of his court in the summer months.

The 550-year-old Great Hall

Inside the palace you’ll find one of its most striking and oldest features – The Great Hall.

This wooden structure was first built in the 1470s for Edward IV, who used it as a space to entertain and dine visitors to the palace.

The Great Hall was later used by the Courtauld family as a music room, who even added colourful stained glass to the hall.

This wooden structure was first built in the 1470s for Edward IV, who used it as a space to entertain and dine visitors to the palace. (Image: Emily Davison)

Today you can see The Great Hall as it would have been when it was used during the 15th century with wooden chairs, and view it from atop the viewing gallery as royalty would have hundreds of year's ago.

There’s even a rail of Tudor costumes you can try on, if you fancy seeing how you would have looked if you were a member of the royal court in the 15th century.

Stunning art deco interiors

Inside the palace you can explore the art deco interiors, with the rooms set up as they would have appeared when Virginia and Stephen Courtauld lived there.

Designed by Rolf Engströmer, you’ll first enter the entrance hall which was used to welcome and entertain guests, before making your way into the various rooms on both the ground and first floor, which include a study with a wall-to-ceiling map and a luxurious bedroom for Virginia with a gold and onyx mosaic bathtub in the bathroom.

Amongst the various rooms you'll find an onyx mosaic bathtub in the bathroom. (Image: Emily Davison)

Parts of the palace still feature some of the original 15th century framework, including The Gables which features original beams and woodwork from the palace.

Popular filming location

With its striking features it's no wonder why this setting has been used as a backdrop for many films and TV shows.

The palace has featured in period dramas like Death of the Nile (2004) and Netflix’s The Crown, and more recently the Entrance Hall featured as Mr Slugworth’s office in Wonka (2023).