100-691: Historic Royal Palaces is an independent charity that manages the United Kingdom's unoccupied royal palaces: Historic Royal Palaces is also responsible for Hillsborough Castle , Northern Ireland , the official residence in Northern Ireland of the King . Historic Royal Palaces has managed the London palaces since 1989, and Hillsborough Castle since 2014. Occupied royal palaces, such as Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle , are maintained by
200-577: A grammar school in Ipswich ( The King's School, Ipswich ) and Cardinal College in Oxford (in 1532, after Wolsey's fall, the king renamed it King Henry VIII's College; it is now known as Christ Church ). In 1528 he began to limit the benefit of clergy . He also attempted, as legate, to force reform on monastic orders like the Augustinian canons. Wolsey died five years before Henry's dissolution of
300-557: A butcher; his modest origin became a topic of criticism later, when he amassed wealth and power that critics thought more befitting a member of the high nobility . Wolsey attended Ipswich School and Magdalen College School before studying theology at Magdalen College, Oxford . On 10 March 1498, he was ordained as a priest in Marlborough , Wiltshire, and remained in Oxford, first as the Master of Magdalen College School, and soon
400-605: A key role in negotiating the Anglo-French treaty of 7 August 1514, which secured a temporary peace between the two nations. Under this treaty, Louis XII would marry Henry's young sister, Mary . In addition England was able to keep the captured city of Tournai and secure an increase in the annual pension France paid. Meanwhile, a turnover of rulers in Europe threatened to diminish England's influence. With Henry's sister, Mary, married to Louis XII on 9 October 1514, an alliance
500-402: A position he nominally held but had neglected during his years in government. He was recalled to London to answer to charges of treason—charges Henry commonly used against ministers who fell out of his favour—but died from natural causes on the way. Thomas Wolsey was born in about 1473, the son of Robert Wolsey of Ipswich and his wife, Joan Daundy. Widespread traditions identify his father as
600-600: A position of great secular power paralleled his increasing status in the church. He became a canon of Windsor in 1511. In 1514 he was made Bishop of Lincoln and then Archbishop of York in the same year. Pope Leo X made him a cardinal in 1515, with the titular church of St Cecilia in Trastevere . In 1518 he was appointed as abbot of St. Albans and bishop of Bath. Following the success of the English campaign in France and
700-802: A prison, a menagerie , the home of the Royal Mint , a public record office , and the home of the Crown Jewels of England . The Tower is a complex of several buildings set within two concentric rings of defensive walls and a moat . The chief attractions advertised by Historic Royal Palaces at the Tower include the Crown Jewels, the Tower Ravens , the White Tower and surrounding battlements, and St John's Chapel . Hampton Court Place
800-554: A royal barge on the waterway at the foot of the Cawood property's garden, as a result of which he died at Leicester on 29 November 1530, around the age of 57. Just before his death he reputedly spoke these words: I see the matter against me how it is framed. But if I had served God as diligently as I have done the King, he would not have given me over in my grey hairs. In keeping with his practice of erecting magnificent buildings at Hampton Court, Westminster and Oxford, Wolsey had planned
900-578: A substantial portion of Europe and English influence became limited on the continent. But Wolsey managed to assert English influence by other means. In 1517, Pope Leo X sought peace in Europe to form a crusade against the Ottoman Empire . In 1518 Wolsey was made Papal Legate in England, enabling him to realise Leo's desire for peace by organising the Treaty of London . The treaty showed Wolsey as
1000-459: A virgin when she married Henry. Because she opposed annulment and a return to her previous status as Dowager Princess of Wales, the annulment request became a matter of international diplomacy, with Catherine's nephew Charles V pressuring Clement not to annul the marriage. Clement faced a dilemma: he would anger either Charles or Henry. He delayed his decision as long as possible, infuriating Henry and Anne Boleyn, who began to doubt Wolsey's loyalty to
1100-521: Is a Public Corporation but receives no funding from either the Government or the Crown , with all of its costs met by self-generated income. Visitor figures 2023 The charity primarily generates income from a combination of admissions and memberships, grants and donations, retail sales and other trading activities, and investment income. In the year to 31 March 2023, Historic Royal Palaces total income
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#17327763498731200-667: Is a historic palace located on the north bank of the River Thames near Hampton in Greater London , in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames . Cardinal Wolsey began construction in 1514 of a royal palace, which was continued and expanded by Henry VIII after Wolsey's demise in 1530. Hampton Court Palace went on to become a centre of royal power in the Tudor period . The palace underwent extensive renovation in
1300-646: Is a royal residence set in Kensington Gardens , in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea in London . The State Apartments were renovated in late 19th century and opened to the public (see History). Historic Royal Palaces advertises Kensington Palace as the birthplace and childhood residence of Queen Victoria , with the Jewel Room (containing jewellery commissioned by Queen Victoria) and
1400-583: Is an 18th-century cottage orné within the grounds of Kew Gardens. The Great Pagoda was built in 1761 by Sir William Chambers as a present for Princess Augusta , the founder of the Kew Gardens . Historic Royal Palaces advertises Kew Palace as the home of George III and Queen Charlotte . The Royal Kitchens are a key attraction. Hillsborough Castle is a castle located in Royal Hillsborough , County Down , Northern Ireland . The castle
1500-580: Is an official government residence in Northern Ireland . It is the official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland , and the official residence in Northern Ireland of the British monarch and other members of the British royal family when they visit the region, as well as a guest house for prominent international visitors. From 1924 until the post's abolition in 1973, it
1600-408: Is company wholly-owned by Historic Royal Palaces responsible for running the charity's commercial activities. The Board of Historic Royal Palaces consists of a Chair and eleven Trustees, all non-executive and unpaid. The Chair is appointed by the King on the advice of the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport . Four Trustees are also appointed by the King, three as ex-officio appointments:
1700-574: Is the official residence in Northern Ireland of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland , and of the British monarch and other members of the British royal family when they visit the region, as well as a guest house for prominent international visitors. Historic Royal Palaces cites the 100 acres of picturesque gardens and castle State Rooms as attractions. The main categories of accessioned heritage assets held by Historic Royal Palaces are: Historic Royal Palaces also displays items on short and long-term loan, including: Historic Royal Palaces
1800-645: The Amicable Grant (1525). This was met with hostility as the Amicable Grant provoked 'full-scale revolt in Suffolk... the most serious rebellion since 1497' ( Cornish rebellion ). As a legal administrator, Wolsey reinvented the equity court, where the verdict was decided by the judge on the principle of "fairness". As an alternative to the Common Law courts, Wolsey re-established the position of
1900-607: The Baroque style during the reign of William III , designed by Christopher Wren . Queen Victoria opened the palace to the public in 1838. Historic Royal Palaces advertises Hampton Court Palace as the "home of Henry VIII", focussing on the dramas and lives of Henry VIII , his wives and their children in the world of the Tudor court. The baroque palace built for William III and Mary II, 60 acres of gardens and Magic Garden adventure playground are key attractions. Kensington Palace
2000-627: The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) and Sinn Féin on the crisis over Northern Irish policing which threatened to derail power-sharing and to collapse the Northern Ireland Executive . Then, in April 2014, the then Prince of Wales held an investiture at Hillsborough Castle, the first one to be held in Northern Ireland since the venue became a royal palace. On 13 September 2022, King Charles III visited
2100-1034: The Director of the Royal Collection , the Keeper of the Privy Purse and the Lord Chamberlain . The remaining Trustees are appointed by the Secretary of State, two ex-officio: the Constable of the Tower of London and the Chairman of the Campaign Board. The Chief Executive is granted a general delegation to act on behalf of Trustees, save for reserved matters. The current Chief Executive is John Barnes, who has been in place since 2017. Lucy Worsley and Tracy Borman are co-curators for
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#17327763498732200-676: The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland , who was supposed to be one of two all-Ireland features (along with the Council of Ireland ) in the new home rule structure. However, that office was abolished in a law change following the Anglo-Irish Treaty of 1921, which in effect aborted Southern Ireland (which had in reality only existed on paper) and established the Irish Free State . A new office for Northern Ireland alone
2300-602: The Palace of Westminster as his own main London residence. Wolsey was permitted to remain Archbishop of York. He travelled to Yorkshire for the first time in his career, but at Cawood in Yorkshire , he was accused of treason and ordered to London by Henry Percy, 6th Earl of Northumberland . In great distress, he set out for the capital with his personal chaplain, Edmund Bonner . On leaving Cawood, he hit his head boarding
2400-575: The Royal Household Property Section, and some are open to the public. Historic Royal Palaces is established as a Royal Charter Body with charitable status. The objectives of Historic Royal Palace, as set out in its Royal Charter are, for the benefit of the nation: Historic Royal Palaces is a Public Corporation but receives no funding from either the Government or the Crown , with all of its costs met by self-generated income. The London palaces themselves are owned by
2500-628: The Star Chamber in 1528. The result of this venture was further resentment by the nobility and the gentry. From 1515, when he became cardinal, until his death, Wolsey used art and architecture to underpin his positions. He initiated a building campaign on a scale not only unprecedented for an English churchman and Lord Chancellor, but also exceeded by few English kings. In so doing, he brought Italian Renaissance ideas, classical embellishments, and architectural models into English architecture. Scholars generally cite Somerset House in London (1547–52) as
2600-502: The Wars of the Roses were still within living memory, leading to the fear of a power struggle after Henry's death. Henry felt the people would accept only a male sovereign, not his daughter Mary . He believed God had cursed him for the sin of marrying the widow of his elder brother, and that the papal dispensation for that marriage was invalid because it was based upon the claim that Catherine
2700-582: The Banqueting House is the opulent decoration of the Banqueting Hall, including the ceiling painting by Rubens commissioned by Charles I . Historic Royal Palaces highlights Banqueting House as the execution site of Charles I. Kew Palace is a historic palace within the grounds of Kew Gardens on the south bank of the River Thames , near Kew in Greater London , in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames . Queen Charlotte's Cottage
2800-516: The Chamber. After the bad harvest of 1527, Wolsey bought up surplus grain and sold it off cheaply to the needy. This greatly eased disorder and became common practice after a disappointing harvest. In 1524 and 1527 Wolsey used his powers as papal legate to dissolve 30 decayed monasteries where monastic life had virtually ceased in practice, some in Ipswich and Oxford . He used the income to found
2900-595: The Crown over the Church. Wolsey appealed to Clement for an annulment on three fronts. First, he tried to convince the Pope that the dispensation was void as the marriage clearly disobeyed instructions in the book of Leviticus . Second, Wolsey objected to the dispensation on technical grounds, claiming it was incorrectly worded. (Shortly afterwards, a correctly worded version was found in Spain.) Third, Wolsey wanted Clement to let
3000-814: The French also continued to honour the " Auld Alliance " with Scotland, stirring up hostility on England's border. With peace between France and the Emperor, there was no-one to free the Pope from Charles, who had effectively held Pope Clement VII captive since the Sack of Rome (1527) . There was thus little hope of securing Henry VIII an annulment from his marriage to Charles's aunt Catherine of Aragon . Since 1527, Wolsey's desire to secure an annulment for his master had dictated his foreign policy, and by 1529 none of his endeavours had succeeded. Henry's marriage to Queen Catherine of Aragon had produced no sons who survived infancy;
3100-917: The Holy Roman Emperor, King Francis I of France was infuriated. He had invested enormous sums in bribing the electorate to elect him emperor, and thus used the Treaty of London as a justification for the Habsburg-Valois conflict. Wolsey appeared to act as mediator between the two powers, both of which were vying for England's support. Another of Wolsey's diplomatic triumphs was the Field of the Cloth of Gold in 1520. Wolsey organised much of this grandiose meeting between Francis I and Henry VIII, accompanied by 5,000 followers and involving court activities more than military discussion. Though it seemed to open
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3200-418: The King in right of the Crown, and Historic Royal Palaces is contracted by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to manage the five London palaces on his behalf. Hillborough Castle is owned by the Government and its management is contracted to Historic Royal Palaces by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . Historic Royal Palaces' trading arm, Historic Royal Palaces Enterprises Limited,
3300-749: The London palaces on behalf of The King in Right of Crown, and in 2014 by the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland to manage Hillsborough Castle. In 2023, the University of Manchester partnered with Historic Royal Palaces to carry out research on the British monarchy 's link to slavery with full access to the Royal Archives and the Royal Collection . The study is expected to be completed by 2026. Davis, John R. (2024). "An Act of 'Queenly Beneficence'? A Historical Investigation of
3400-687: The Office of Works in a deal brokered by its Permanent Secretary Lord Esher , whereby in exchange the dilapidated Kensington Palace would be renovated as a residence for Queen Victoria's children, and its State Apartments opened to the public . In 1970 the Ministry of Public Building and Works was absorbed into the Department of the Environment , a super-ministry created by the newly-elected Heath government . The Ancient Monuments Department
3500-693: The Opening of Hampton Court Palace to the Public in the Nineteenth Century". The Court Historian . 29 (1): 17–32. doi : 10.1080/14629712.2024.2321780 . Historic Royal Palaces (31 March 2021). Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2021 (Report). Historic Royal Palaces (31 March 2022). Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for the year ended 31 March 2022 (Report). Historic Royal Palaces (31 March 2023). Trustees' Report and Financial Statements for
3600-522: The Pope at the Treaty of London, was kept waiting for many months in Calais before being allowed to cross the Channel and join the festivities in London in what may have been a display by Wolsey of his independence of Rome. An alternative hypothesis is that Campeggio was kept waiting until Wolsey received his legacy, thus asserting Wolsey's attachment to Rome. Though the English gain from the wars of 1522–23
3700-535: The Queen's and King's State Apartments as key attractions. The Orangery is managed as a cafe and restaurant. The Banqueting House , on Whitehall in the City of Westminster , central London , is the only large surviving component of the Palace of Whitehall , being one of grandest surviving examples of the architectural genre of banqueting houses in the classical style of Palladian architecture . The key attraction of
3800-403: The arbiter of Europe, organising a massive peace summit involving 20 nations. This put England at the forefront of European diplomacy and drew her out of isolation, making her a desirable ally. This is well illustrated by the Anglo-French treaty signed two days afterwards. It was partly this peace treaty that caused conflict between France and Spain. In 1519, when Charles V ascended to the throne of
3900-433: The bishoprics of England and Ireland, and, in 1519, encouraging monasteries to embark on a programme of reform, he did nothing to bring about these changes. In spite of having many enemies, Wolsey retained Henry VIII's confidence until Henry decided to seek an annulment of his marriage to Catherine of Aragon so that he could marry Anne Boleyn. Wolsey's failure to secure the annulment directly caused his downfall and arrest. It
4000-506: The buildings' management. After several changes in management and oversight, the unoccupied palaces were transferred out of the Department of the Environment to a dedicated executive agency called Historic Royal Palaces on 1 October 1989, to be run as a commercial businesses under a chief executive. In 1998 Historic Royal Palaces became an independent charity contracted by the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport to manage
4100-606: The case of Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk , Wolsey adopted a different strategy, attempting to win Suffolk's favour by his actions after the duke secretly married Henry's sister Mary Tudor, Dowager Queen of France , much to the king's displeasure. Wolsey advised the king not to execute the newlyweds but to embrace them; whether this was out of care for the couple or because of the threat they posed to his own safety remains unclear. The bride, both as sister to Henry and as Dowager Queen of France, had high royal status that could have threatened Wolsey had she so chosen. Wolsey's rise to
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4200-620: The cases. Many powerful men who had felt invincible under the law found themselves convicted; for example, in 1515, the Earl of Northumberland was sent to Fleet Prison and in 1516 Lord Abergavenny was accused of illegal retaining. Wolsey also used his courts to tackle national controversies, such as the pressing issue of enclosures . The countryside had been thrown into discord by the entrepreneurial actions of landlords enclosing areas of land and converting from arable farming to pastoral farming, requiring fewer workers. The Tudors valued stability, and
4300-468: The castle to the public in April 1999. Elizabeth II and Philip, Duke of Edinburgh stayed in Hillsborough Castle during their visit to Northern Ireland as part of the Golden Jubilee tour of the United Kingdom in 2002 and the President of the United States , George W. Bush , visited the castle in 2003. The house was also used in January 2010 for talks between British Prime Minister Gordon Brown , Irish Taoiseach Brian Cowen and representatives of
4400-446: The castle with Queen Camilla and responded to an official message of condolence from the Northern Ireland government. Thomas Wolsey Thomas Wolsey ( / ˈ w ʊ l z i / WUUL -zee ; c. March 1473 – 29 November 1530) was an English statesman and Catholic cardinal . When Henry VIII became King of England in 1509, Wolsey became the king's almoner . Wolsey's affairs prospered and by 1514 he had become
4500-404: The charity. The Tower of London is a historic castle on the north bank of the River Thames in central London , founded toward the end of 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest . The White Tower , which gives the castle its name, was built by William the Conqueror in 1078. The Tower of London has played a prominent role in English history , serving variously as an armoury , a treasury ,
4600-550: The church he made upwards of £35,000 a year. The Anglo-French War (1512–14) gave Wolsey a significant opportunity to demonstrate his talents in foreign policy. A convenient justification for going to war came in 1511 in the form of a plea for help from Pope Julius II , who was beginning to feel threatened by France. England formed an alliance with Julius, King Ferdinand II of Aragon , and Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor against King Louis XII of France . The first English campaign against France proved unsuccessful, partly due to
4700-443: The control of the Dukes of Norfolk and Suffolk , Henry was quick to denounce the Amicable Grant, and began to lose faith in Wolsey. During the relatively peaceful period in England after the War of the Roses, its population increased. With more demand for food and no additional supply, prices increased. Landowners were forced to enclose land and convert to pastoral farming, which brought in more profit. Wolsey's quest against enclosure
4800-409: The controlling figure in virtually all matters of state. He also held important ecclesiastical appointments. These included the Archbishop of York —the second most important role in the English church—and that of papal legate . His appointment as a cardinal by Pope Leo X in 1515 gave him precedence over all other English clergy. The highest political position Wolsey attained was Lord Chancellor ,
4900-480: The dean of divinity. From 1500 to 1509, Wolsey held a living as rector of St Mary's church , Limington , in Somerset . In 1502, he became a chaplain to Henry Deane , archbishop of Canterbury, who died the following year. He was then taken into the household of Sir Richard Nanfan , who made Wolsey executor of his estate. After Nanfan's death in 1507, Wolsey entered the service of King Henry VII . Wolsey benefited from Henry VII's introduction of measures to curb
5000-714: The direct expenditure (including staff and support costs) attributable to each activity. Total expenditure in the year to 31 March 2023 was £82.1m, of which £68.5m was allocated to expenditure on charitable activities, including £22.5m on Palaces (conservation work on both the buildings and collections; research; acquistions; and maintenance of buildings and grounds), £40.1m on Experiences (exhibitions; special events; online activities; schools projects and programmes; and community events); £4.8m on costs attributable to fund-raising, membership and sponsorships; and £1.2m on workplace Culture. The remaining £13.9m allocated to costs of raising funds included £9.9m on retail activities. Management of
5100-472: The door to peaceful negotiations with France if the king wished, it was also a chance for a lavish display of English wealth and power before the rest of Europe, through flamboyant celebrations and events such as jousting, with the two kings competing, though not against each other. With France and Spain vying for England's allegiance, Wolsey could choose the ally that better suited his policies. Wolsey chose Charles mainly because England's economy would suffer from
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#17327763498735200-475: The end, abandoned by the king, Wolsey was charged with treason, but died of natural causes before he could be beheaded. Wolsey made changes to the taxation system, devising, with treasurer of the Chamber John Heron, the "Subsidy". This form of tax was based upon accurate valuations of the taxpayer's wealth, where one shilling was taken per pound from the income. The old fixed tax of 15ths and 10ths meant that those who earned very little had to pay almost as much as
5300-442: The external elevations of 'buildings of historical or national interest in the charge of the War Office' was transferred to the Office of Works in 1898, with the War Office retaining operational control of the active sites. The Tower, along with all its military buildings, staff and tourist income was fully transferred to the Office of Works in 1903. Kew Palace and Queen Charlotte's Cottage in Kew Gardens were transferred to
5400-464: The fact that he was not only the first high-profile patron in England to seek out and promote Italian classicism in art, architecture, and magnificence, but also that his contributions endured. Among Wolsey's projects were lavish, classically inspired additions to York Palace in London, the Archbishop of York's residence. He supervised the grandiose temporary buildings at the Field of Cloth of Gold and renovated Hampton Court, which he later relinquished to
5500-559: The final decision be made in England, which, as papal legate, he would supervise. In 1528 Clement decided to allow two papal legates to decide the outcome in England: Wolsey and Campeggio. Wolsey was confident of the decision, but Campeggio took a long time to arrive, and when he finally did, he delayed proceedings so much that the case had to be suspended in July 1529, effectively sealing Wolsey's fate. During his 14 years as chancellor, Wolsey had more power than any other Crown servant in English history. This led to his being hated by much of
5600-405: The first classical building in England, built for Edward Seymour, the first Duke of Somerset and Lord Protector to King Edward VI. But Wolsey embraced Italian-inspired classicism nearly half a century before Seymour, though more theoretically than visually. Wolsey's subsequent disgrace over his failure to garner papal approval of an annulment of Henry VIII's marriage to Catherine of Aragon has clouded
5700-472: The form of the Subsidy or benevolences. They also resented the Act of Resumption of 1486, by which Henry VII had resumed possession of all lands granted by the crown since 1455. These lands had passed onto his heir, Henry VIII. Many nobles resented the rise to power of a low-born man, whilst others simply disliked that he monopolised the court and concealed information from the Privy Council. When mass riots broke out in East Anglia , which should have been under
5800-411: The king to act as a careful administrator like his father. Henry soon appointed to his Privy Council men more sympathetic to his own views and inclinations. Until 1511, Wolsey was adamantly antiwar, but when the king expressed his enthusiasm for an invasion of France, Wolsey adapted his views to the king's and gave persuasive speeches to the Privy Council in favour of war. Warham and Foxe, who did not share
5900-424: The king's chief adviser (formally, as his successor and disciple Thomas Cromwell was not). In that position, he enjoyed great freedom and was often depicted as the alter rex ("other king"). After failing to negotiate an annulment of Henry's marriage to Catherine of Aragon , Wolsey fell out of favour and was stripped of his government titles. He retreated to York to fulfil his ecclesiastical duties as archbishop,
6000-597: The king's enthusiasm for the French war , fell from power (1515/1516), and Wolsey took over as the king's most trusted advisor and administrator. When Warham resigned as Lord Chancellor in 1515, probably under pressure from Wolsey, Henry appointed Wolsey in his place. Wolsey made careful moves to destroy or neutralise other courtiers' influence. He helped cause the fall of Edward Stafford, 3rd Duke of Buckingham in 1521, and in 1527 he prosecuted, unsuccessfully, Henry's close friend William Compton and Henry's ex-mistress Anne Stafford, Countess of Huntingdon , for adultery. In
6100-423: The king's secretaries, middle-ranked officials, and JPs; and who promulgated decisions himself had largely shaped, if not strictly taken. Operating with the king's firm support, and with special powers over the church given by the Pope as legate, Wolsey dominated civic affairs, administration, the law, the church, and foreign policy. He was amazingly energetic and far-reaching. He built a great fortune for himself and
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#17327763498736200-400: The king. A factor in Wolsey's rise was the young Henry VIII's relative lack of interest in the details of government during his early years. The primary counsellors Henry VIII inherited from his father were Richard Foxe ( c. 1448–1528, Bishop of Winchester 1501–1528) and William Warham ( c. 1450–1532, Archbishop of Canterbury 1503–1532). They were cautious and conservative, advising
6300-495: The king. In April 1508, Wolsey was sent to Scotland to discuss with King James IV rumours of the renewal of the Auld Alliance . Wolsey's rise coincided with the accession in April 1509 of Henry VIII, whose character, policies and attitude to diplomacy differed significantly from his father's. In 1509 Henry appointed Wolsey to the post of almoner, a position that gave him a seat on the Privy Council and an opportunity to attain greater prominence and establish personal rapport with
6400-545: The king. Wolsey's use of architecture as a symbol of power, along with his introduction of Italian classical ornamentation, set a trend continued by Henry VIII and others. Wolsey oversaw tombs for Henry's VIII's parents at Westminster Abbey and negotiated contracts for Henry VIII's tomb as well as one for himself. If these works had been completed as planned, they would be among Europe's largest, most elaborate, and grandest tombs. The college originally founded and planned by Wolsey and refounded by Henry VIII ( Christ Church ) remains
6500-467: The largest and grandest of all Oxford colleges. As well as his State duties, Wolsey simultaneously attempted to exert his influence over the Church in England. As cardinal and, from 1524, lifetime papal legate, Wolsey continually vied for control over others in the Church. His principal rival was William Warham , the Archbishop of Canterbury , who made it more difficult for Wolsey to follow through with his plans for reform. Despite making promises to reform
6600-424: The loss of the lucrative cloth trade industry between England and the Netherlands had France been chosen instead. Under Wolsey's guidance, Europe's chief nations sought to outlaw war among Christian nations. Garrett Mattingly , who has studied the causes of wars in that era, found that treaties of non-aggression such as this one could never be stronger than their sponsors' armies. When those forces were about equal,
6700-428: The management of domestic affairs, for which Wolsey had grand plans. Historian John Guy explains Wolsey's methods: Only in the broadest respects was [the king] taking independent decisions. ... It was Wolsey who almost invariably calculated the available options and ranked them for royal consideration; who established the parameters of each successive debate; who controlled the flow of official information; who selected
6800-414: The management of historic buildings from DAMHB outside of direct government control. The government did not think it appropriate however that the unoccupied royal palaces be included in the transfer (for fear of the appearance of privatisation ), and the regulatory status of the palaces remain split across several bodies until a catastrophic fire at Hampton Court Palace in 1986 highlighted the deficiencies in
6900-507: The mansion and its grounds to the British government. In buying it, the government solved a practical problem. Under the Government of Ireland Act 1920 a new, distinct region of the United Kingdom called Northern Ireland had been created within the traditional province of Ulster , but minus three counties— Cavan , Donegal , and Monaghan —which became part of the Irish Free State . Executive authority had been vested for both Northern Ireland and its sister region, Southern Ireland , in
7000-525: The minions began to undermine him again. Consequently, Wolsey devised a grand plan of administrative reforms, incorporating the notorious Eltham ordinances of 1526. This reduced the members of the Privy Council from 12 to six, removing Henry's friends such as Sir William Compton and Nicholas Carew . One of Wolsey's greatest impediments was his lack of popularity amongst the nobles at court and in Parliament. Their dislikes and mistrusts partly stemmed from what they saw as Wolsey's excessive demands for money in
7100-414: The monasteries began. Wolsey's power depended on maintaining good relations with Henry. He grew increasingly suspicious of the "minions"—young, influential members of the Privy chamber —particularly after infiltrating one of his own men into the group. He attempted many times to disperse them from court, giving them jobs that took them to the Continent and far from Henry. After the Amicable Grant failed,
7200-415: The nobility, who believed that power should be theirs. The king protected him from being attacked. As long as he was in the king's favour, Wolsey had great freedom in domestic matters, and had his hand in nearly every aspect of them. For much of the time, Henry VIII had complete confidence in him, and as Henry's interests inclined more towards foreign policy, he was willing to give Wolsey free rein in reforming
7300-478: The office of Secretary of State for Northern Ireland . As the then Queen's representative, the Secretary of State moved into Hillsborough Castle at that time. Hillsborough Castle continued to be used for important meetings and conferences: it was the location of the signing of the Anglo-Irish Agreement on 15 November 1985, and Mo Mowlam broke new ground when she opened the extensive grounds of
7400-817: The official residence of the governor, the building was officially renamed Government House . Within the grounds of the castle are a number of trees planted by residents of, and visitors to, the estate. These include a tree ( Abies albertiana ) planted by the Duke of Abercorn, the first Governor of Northern Ireland, in October 1925. Following the decision to abolish Northern Ireland's devolved system of government and institute direct rule from London in March 1972, all Northern Irish governmental posts, including that of Governor and Prime Minister of Northern Ireland , were abolished. Those two posts were in effect combined to create
7500-555: The papacy, Wolsey was strictly Henry's servant. Though the Treaty of London was an elaboration on Pope Leo's ambitions for European peace, it was seen in Rome as a vain attempt by England to assert her influence over Europe and steal some papal thunder. Furthermore, Wolsey's peace initiatives prevented a crusade to the Holy Land , which was the catalyst for the Pope's desire for European peace. Cardinal Lorenzo Campeggio , who represented
7600-515: The peace negotiations that followed, Wolsey's ecclesiastical career advanced further: in 1523 he became Bishop of Durham , a post with wide political powers, and thus became known as Prince-Bishop of Durham. In 1529 he moved on from the bishop position in Durham to become the Bishop of Winchester. With his roles in the church came great wealth and estates. With the accumulation of his different roles in
7700-451: The power of the nobility; the king was willing to favour those from more humble backgrounds. Henry VII appointed Wolsey royal chaplain . In this position Wolsey served as secretary to Richard Foxe , who recognised Wolsey's ability, dedication, industry and willingness to take on tedious tasks. Wolsey's remarkable rise to power from humble origins attests to his intelligence, administrative ability, industriousness, ambition, and rapport with
7800-456: The prerogative courts of the Star Chamber and the Court of Chancery . The system in both courts concentrated on simple, inexpensive cases, and promised impartial justice. He also established the Court of Requests (although this court was only given this name later on) for the poor, where no fees were required. Wolsey's legal reforms were popular, and overflow courts were required to attend to all
7900-660: The resulting mass urban migration represented a serious crisis. Wolsey conducted national enquiries into enclosures in 1517, 1518 and 1527. In the course of his administration, he used the Court of Chancery to prosecute 264 landowners, including peers, bishops, knights, religious heads, and Oxford colleges. Enclosures were seen as directly linked to rural unemployment and depopulation, vagrancy, food shortages and, accordingly, inflation. This pattern repeated in many of Wolsey's other initiatives, particularly his quest to abolish enclosure. Despite spending significant time and effort investigating
8000-527: The state of the countryside and prosecuting numerous offenders, Wolsey freely surrendered his policy during the parliament of 1523 to ensure that Parliament passed his proposed taxes for Henry's war in France. Enclosures remained a problem for many years. Wolsey used the Star Chamber to enforce his 1518 policy of Just Price , which attempted to regulate the price of meat in London and other major cities. Those found to be charging too much were prosecuted by
8100-399: The treaties typically widened the conflict. That is, diplomacy could sometimes postpone war, but could not prevent wars based on irreconcilable interests and ambitions. What was lacking, Mattingly concludes, was a neutral power whose judgements were generally accepted either by impartial justice or by overwhelming force. The Treaty of London is often regarded as Wolsey's finest moment, but it
8200-585: The unoccupied Royal palaces in London was consolidated in the Office of Works over the course of the 19th and early 20th centuries. Informal tours of Hampton Court Palace had been available since the Elizabethan era, and by the 18th century access to the Palace and tours of the Royal Collection were arranged for small groups by the housekeeper, and included in tourists' guide books. Hampton Court Palace
8300-423: The unreliability of the alliance with Ferdinand. Henry learned from the mistakes of the campaign and in 1513, still with papal support, launched a joint attack on France with Maximilian, successfully capturing two French cities and causing the French to retreat. Wolsey's ability to keep a large number of troops supplied and equipped for the duration of the war proved a major factor in the English success. He also had
8400-488: The wealthy. With the new income tax the poorer members of society paid much less. This more progressive form of taxation enabled Wolsey to raise enough money for the king's foreign expeditions, bringing in over £300,000. He also raised considerable capital through other means, such as " benevolences ", and enforced loans from the nobility, which yielded £200,000 in 1522. Ultimately, Wolsey's fiscal policy became increasingly disliked- his forced loans and benevolences culminated in
8500-518: The year ended 31 March 2023 (Report). Impey, Edward ; Parnell, Geoffrey (2000). The Tower of London: The Official Illustrated History . Merrell Publishers in association with Historic Royal Palaces . ISBN 978-1-85894-106-6 . Thurley, Simon (2013). Men from the Ministry: how Britain saved its Heritage . London: Yale University Press. ISBN 9780300195729 . Hillsborough Castle Hillsborough Castle
8600-470: Was a bitter blow. Wolsey then proposed an alliance with Spain and the Holy Roman Empire against France. The death of Ferdinand II of Aragon , Henry VIII's father-in-law and England's closest ally, in 1516 was a further blow. Ferdinand was succeeded by Charles V , who immediately proposed peace with France. After Maximilian I's death in 1519, Charles was elected in his stead; thus Charles ruled
8700-451: Was a major benefactor of arts, humanities and education. He projected numerous reforms, with some success in areas such as finance, taxation, educational provision and justice. From the king's perspective, his greatest failure was an inability to get a divorce when Henry wanted a new wife to give him a son who would be the undisputed heir to the throne. Historians agree that Wolsey was a man dogged by other men's failures and his own ambition. In
8800-615: Was abandoned within a year. Wolsey developed links with Charles in 1520 at the Field of the Cloth of Gold. At the Calais Conference Wolsey signed the Secret Treaty of Bruges (1521) with Charles V, stating that England would join Spain in a war against France if France refused to sign the peace treaty and ignored the Anglo-French treaty of 1518. Wolsey's relationship with Rome was also ambivalent. Despite his links to
8900-522: Was amalgamated with the listed buildings section of the former Ministry of Housing in 1972 to create the Directorate of Ancient Monuments and Historic Buildings (DAMHB) as a specialised and autonomous body overseeing English heritage monuments and buildings. The Historic Buildings and Monuments Commission (soon to be known as English Heritage ) was created in 1984 by the Thatcher government to move
9000-532: Was created, that of governor of Northern Ireland . As the Viceregal Lodge in Dublin became unavailable, physically and politically, a new residence was needed. Hillsborough Castle, though outside the largest city of Northern Ireland, Belfast , was deemed a suitable location. After some renovations, the first governor, James Albert Edward Hamilton, 3rd Duke of Abercorn , moved in during 1925. Upon becoming
9100-464: Was formed, but Louis was not in good health. Less than three months later, he died and was succeeded by the young and ambitious Francis I . Queen Mary had allegedly secured a promise from Henry that if Louis died, she could marry whomever she pleased. Following Louis's death, she secretly married Suffolk, with Francis I's assistance, which prevented another marriage alliance. As Mary was the only princess Henry could use to secure marriage alliances, this
9200-416: Was fruitless in terms of restoring economic stability. The same can be said for Wolsey's legal reforms. After he made justice accessible to all and encouraged more people to bring cases to court, the system was abused. The courts became overloaded with incoherent, tenuous cases, which would have been far too expensive to have rambled on in the Common Law courts. Wolsey eventually ordered all minor cases out of
9300-574: Was met with even more hostility, and ultimately led to his downfall. In 1525, after Charles V had abandoned England as an ally, Wolsey began to negotiate with France, and the Treaty of the More was signed, during Francis I's captivity, with the Regent of France—his mother, Louise of Savoy . The closeness between England and Rome can be seen in the formulation of the League of Cognac in 1526. Though England
9400-461: Was minimal, their contribution certainly aided Charles V in his defeat of the French, particularly in 1525 at the Battle of Pavia , where Charles's army captured Francis I. Henry then felt there was a realistic opportunity for him to seize the French crown, to which the kings of England had long laid claim. Parliament, however, refused to raise taxes. This led Wolsey to devise the Amicable Grant , which
9500-496: Was not part of it, the League was organised in part by Wolsey with papal support. Wolsey's plan was that the League of Cognac, an alliance between France and some Italian states, would challenge Charles's League of Cambrai . This was both a gesture of allegiance to Rome and an answer to growing concerns about Charles's dominance over Europe. The final blow to this policy came in 1529, when the French made peace with Charles. Meanwhile,
9600-520: Was officially opened to the public in November 1838, and the Office of Works made responsible for opening the Palace from Sunday to Thursday (closing Friday for cleaning). The War Office and its predecessor bodies had managed the Tower of London since the 15th century, using the White Tower as its headquarters and surrounding buildings for storage. Responsibility for the repair and restoration of
9700-406: Was rumoured that Anne Boleyn and her faction convinced Henry that Wolsey was deliberately slowing proceedings; as a result, he was arrested in 1529, and the Pope decided that the official decision should be made in Rome, not England. In 1529, Wolsey was stripped of his government office and property, including his magnificently expanded residence of Palace of Whitehall , which Henry took to replace
9800-480: Was still a virgin after her first husband's death. Henry argued that Catherine's claim was not credible, and thus the dispensation must be withdrawn and the marriage annulled. His motivation has been attributed to his determination to have a son and heir, and to his desire for Anne Boleyn , one of his wife's maids-of-honour . Queen Catherine had no further pregnancies after 1519; Henry began annulment proceedings in 1527. Catherine, however, maintained that she had been
9900-559: Was the official residence of the governor of Northern Ireland . Since April 2014, it has been managed by Historic Royal Palaces , and is open to the paying members of the public. Hillsborough Castle, which is located in the village of Royal Hillsborough in the north-west of County Down , is not a true castle . It is a Georgian country house built in the 18th century for the Hill family, Marquesses of Downshire , who owned it until 1922, when Arthur Hill, 7th Marquess of Downshire sold
10000-469: Was £102.5m, more than half of which (£63.3m) coming from ticket admissions to the various sites, 80% of which was collected at the Tower of London. Membership income from the 137,777 members totalled £4.6m. Retail income from the site gift shops and online sales totalled £15m, and functions and events raised £6.4m. The charity's expenses are classified under the principal headings of 'Costs of raising funds' and 'Expenditure on charitable activities', comprising
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