Eltham Palace
- Architecture and design enthusiasts
- History enthusiasts
- Families with children
What Visitors Say
An exquisite art deco palace with exuberant gardens. Highly recommend visiting this English Heritage site in Eltham, in the London Borough of Greenwich. Reading about the story behind the renovation, prior to visiting, helped immensely.
Beautiful place, x3. Stunning architecture! How ever did the architect get Tudor and Art Deco to merge ! They did and the results were amazing. Guides were randomly spaced to assist with queries. Helpful and informative. Even adult dressing up with 1930s props for photo opportunities. Lovely tea room with views to the city. Easy parking.
If you’ve never been and love a bit of Agatha Christie you’ll love the house with it’s amazing art deco interiors all beautifully evocative of that era. Many locals have a membership as children love the gardens play area and cafe. It’s worth noting it’s free to Art Pass holders and pedestrian access is over the moat. The gardens are beautifully maintained with both formal planting and meadow areas for peace and tranquility.
Interesting house and beautiful gardens, well worth a visit! House was a mix of art deco and medieval, makes for a very interesting trip that's a bit different from usual historic houses. The staff were amazing especially inside the house, gave us a quick 5min introduction to the house at entry along with some interesting things to look out for, like the whole house laundry system and the pet lemur. We went in early May, perfect for a picnic with the wisteria in bloom, grounds were well taken care of with plenty of space for relaxation and privacy.
A beautiful home and my favorite English heritage site to visit. The highlight for me, in addition to the gardens, were the library/map room, the drawing room and the Courtauld’s bedroom. Perhaps the best example in the UK of an Art Deco home. The staff are incredibly knowledgeable on the history of the Palace and very friendly. The perfect place to be on a sunny day and I highly recommend. Only a 30 min journey from London bridge.
Highlights
Great Hall (c. 1470s)
Hammerbeam drama from a Tudor palaceEdward IV’s hall—later a childhood playground for Henry VIII—survived centuries of change and now frames Art Deco views through medieval windows.
North range, up from the Courtauld house
Entrance Hall
Art Deco set-piece with acoustic ‘glow’A circular, double-height hall with pale wood, concealed lighting and a domed ceiling—designed for cocktails, music and grand arrivals.
Front door, ground floor
Virginia’s Bedroom & Bathroom
Luxurious modern living, 1930s-styleStreamlined wardrobes, built-in gadgets and a glamorous, ocean-liner bathroom show how the Courtaulds made comfort into design theatre.
First floor, family rooms
Map Room
A world wall in walnutA bespoke, wood-veneered map wall plotted the Courtaulds’ travels and radio schedules—global curiosity, c.1936.
Ground floor, off the main hall
Moat & Gardens Walk
Landscape stitching house to palaceA full moat and long lawns restore the palace silhouette; from the bridge, you get the best ‘two eras in one frame’ photo.
Bridge and perimeter path
Opening Hours
Fun Facts
The Courtaulds’ ring-tailed lemur, ‘Mah-Jongg’, had its own heated sleeping quarters and could roam via a purpose-built runway—celebrity pet meets high design.
Eltham’s 1930s house had a master-clock system, internal telephones and a central vacuum—smart-home thinking nearly a century early.
Henry VIII grew up here; the Great Hall hosted Christmas revels where the young prince learned court spectacle long before he wore the crown.
WWII army use scuffed the modern interiors; the site later fell into disrepair before a late-20th-century rescue returned the Deco sheen.
Film scouts adore the Entrance Hall: its circular plan and concealed lighting read on camera like a Deco ocean liner’s grand saloon.
