Lambeth Palace

Lambeth Palace stands on the south bank of the River Thames in north Lambeth, just 400 yards from the Palace of Westminster. It has been the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury since the early 13th century, when the estate was first acquired. The palace sits between Lambeth Palace Road and Lambeth Road, separated from the surrounding parish by its own boundary. Its garden, one of London’s oldest continually cultivated, once stretched into Archbishop’s Park, which was part of the grounds until the early 19th century. The name Lambeth comes from the Old English for ‘landing place for lambs,’ reflecting its riverside origins. The palace has witnessed key moments in English history. In 1381, it was attacked during the Peasants’ Revolt, and in 1558, Cardinal Pole lay in state here for 40 days. During the English Civil War, Parliamentarians ransacked the building, destroying parts of it. The great hall was rebuilt after the Restoration, and the chapel, bombed in the Second World War, was carefully restored. Architectural highlights include Morton’s Tower, the 13th-century chapel in Early English Gothic style, and the hammerbeam roof of the great hall, added in the 17th century. Visitors find a cluster of historic buildings arranged around a quadrangle. Morton’s Tower serves as the main entrance, while the chapel and great hall dominate the medieval core. The Guard Chamber, with its restored 14th-century roof, and Water Tower, built in the 15th century, show how the palace evolved over time. The palace gardens still contain a fig tree said to have been planted centuries ago, and the library holds one of the world’s most important religious collections. Views across the Thames take in Westminster, linking the palace to the heart of national life.