Wall 22, Hampton Court Palace

Oxford Archaeology South were commissioned by Historic Royal Palaces to undertake a programme of recording on a section of garden wall located within the private area of the grounds at Hampton Court Palace. The wall was drawn and examined in detail and the bricks were compared to the Hampton Court Brick Typology. The wall as it stands comprises several sections of differing date. The earliest fabric is 16th century in date and is probably formed of Type C Henrician brickwork. This may form the western elevation of the former Henrician Bowling Alley although it is also possible that the wall was rebuilt using Tudor bricks from the former alley, possibly in the 17th century. It is clear that the structure underwent several changes including conversion to accommodation prior to its demolition in the later 18th century. It is possible that the 18th century brickwork and coping date to this period of demolition when the wall would have been retained to maintain the divisions with the garden and nursery areas. The wall is clearly aligned with the western wall of the former Tudor bowling alley as pinpointed through excavation and geophysical survey in 2010 for the television programme 'Time Team'. The excavation concluded that the extant 16th-century brick footings below ground had several areas of rebuilt and later brickwork above suggesting the substantial rebuild and reworking of the structure. The mixed date and bonding of the brickwork in the elevations above ground further confirms that the wall in-situ now has been substantially rebuilt from the 17th century onwards. As it is there is little surviving fabric that can clearly be described as being part of the former Tudor Bowling Alley. The wall however, remains an example of the adaptation of existing fabric to suit the changing needs of the Palace.