Images: Ampthill reconstruction view from the time of Henry VIII from plaque on-site; Catherine of Aragon memorial cross (photos: C.A. Stanford). Plans from H. Colvin, History of the King’s Works, Copyright, Controller of Her Majesty’s Stationery Office, courtesy of the Open Government License Agreement.)
Acquired 1524
This royal lodge and hunting park came into the hands of Henry VIII in 1524. The site was attractive for its clean air and the king stayed there several times in the 1520’s. Katherine of Aragon was also housed here during the divorce proceedings in 1533.
Ampthill was built on a courtyard plan, with a base court, inner court and well court adjacent to a kitchen, according to a plan preserved from 1567 (Colvin). The house underwent a number of renovations in 1536, 1537, 1539 and 1543. Records survive for several construction campaigns at Ampthill, including 1534 (flooring and glazing in the royal apartments), 1536 (glazing the royal chambers and retiling the great hall), 1537 (creating a bowling alley), 1539 (work on the roofs and glazing) and 1543 (new staircases and kitchen repairs).
The house fell into ruin in the early seventeenth century and was entirely rebuilt.