Fit for a KING

TRAVEL BACK IN TIME TO DISCOVER THE HOME OF KING HENRY VIII, AND STAY IN THE SUMPTUOUS HOTEL THAT SHARES A SPOT WITH THE PALACE ON THE BANKS OF THE SPLENDID RIVER THAMES

- HOLLY BYRNE

There are few figures in English history as loved and loathed, and as colourful and curious, as King Henry VIII, who reigned from 1509 to 1547. Most famous for his many wives and his role in establishing the Church of England, Henry was also renowned for his extravagant style and lavish lifestyle.

A world away from today's big, bustling metropolis of London (but less than an hour by train), the River Mole meets the grand old Thames where luscious green ash and alder trees line the banks. In the borough of Richmond-upon-Thames, the legacy of King Henry VIII lives on.

Molesey is divided into two towns, and while they share a high street, it's East Molesey that lays claim to the beguiling Tudor building that puts this region on the map. Hampton Court Palace was the ostentatious, ever-indulgent home of King Henry VIII, and was once dubbed the palace of pleasure for the ongoing festivities hosted by the king.