\paperw3360 \margr0\margl0 \plain \fs20 \pard\tx3255\tx6525\tx9780\ATXts240\ATXbrdr0 \f1 \fs22 It takes about 3 hours to reach Hampton Court by boat starting from \b \cf4 \ATXht13551000 Westminster Pier\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 . The magnificent royal residence arises among wonderfully varied and extensive gardens and waterways. In fact Hampton Court bears witness to all the kings and queens of England from \b \cf4 \ATXht13091000 Henry VI
II\b0 \cf0 \ATXht0 to the present day. From the outside, the palace is a harmonious blend of Tudor\b \b0 and English Baroque architecture. The interiors are decorated with furniture, old masters and tapestries from the Royal Collection.\par
Cardinal
Wolsey, powerful Archbishop of York to Henry VIII, began building Hampton Court in 1514 as a riverside country residence for himself. In 1525 he suspected that he was slipping from royal favour, and offered the palace to the King in the vain hope of red
ressing matters. Henry considerably extended and rebuilt the residence, adding the magnificently decorated KingÆs Staircase leading to the royal apartments.\par
The inspiration for the Hampton Court gardens as they are today dates back to the late 1600
s and is largely due to Christopher Wren, who designed a vast formal Baroque landscape, with radiating avenues of majestic limes and many collections of exotic plants. However, the Pond Garden down on the south side near the Thames is a sunken water gar
den that was part of Henry VIIIÆs elaborate designs. Another Tudor garden feature is the Maze, far over on the north side.
