Image: Durham house from the Thames (Photo: By Engraving as published by Cowie and Strange, 1828. – Thomas Allen, History and Antiquities of London vol. 4 (1837); https://archive.org/stream/historyantiquiti04alle#page/246/mode/2up, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=16149690)
Acquired: 1536
The London inn of the Bishops of Durham used by Catherine of Aragon in the 1520s. By 1528 Henry arranged for Anne Boleyn to have the use of it. She did not find it sufficiently grand and he seems to have paid for the refurbishment of her apartments there. Later Henry acquired formal title to Durham House by forcing an exchange of properties with the bishop’s see. He used the property for diplomatic entertainment and lodging, and appears to have carried out only a few general repairs on site (no significant rebuilding).
By Elizabeth’s reign the property was restored to the Durham episcopate. Today the Tudor era buildings have been completely removed from the estate, which is now occupied by the Adelphi Theatre.