Eltham Palace is an Art Deco house in Eltham, London, currently owned by English Heritage and open to the public. It has been said that it is a 'masterpiece of modern design'.

Historic palace

It was built in the 1930s on the site of an older building also called Eltham Palace. The original Palace was bought by Edward II in 1305 and used as a royal residence from the 14th century to the 16th century.

Modern house

In 1931 Stephen and Virginia Courtauld acquired the lease of the palace site and restored the Great Hall while building a beautiful Art Deco home (Stephen was the younger brother of industrialist and art collector Samuel Courtauld, founder of the Courtauld Institute of Art). The Courtaulds remained at Eltham until 1944 when they moved to Scotland, giving the palace to the Army Educational Corps in March 1945 which remained there until 1992.

In 1995 English Heritage assumed management of the palace, and in 1999 completed major repairs and restorations of the interiors and gardens.

The palace is open to the public and can be hired for weddings and other functions. Nearest train station is Eltham railway station, a short walk from the palace.

External link

• [Heritage Eltham Palace site (http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/elthampalace/|English)]