The Great Hall

The Great Hall

It was in the first Great Hall that Erasmus and Holbein were welcomed by Archbishop Warham and where Henry VIII was entertained by Thomas Cranmer.

The Parliamentarian Colonel Scot ordered the demolition of the building following the English Civil War and the more valuable materials were sold off at auction. The Civil War also saw much alteration to the remains of the Palace as the main buildings were divided into two for the use of two Parliamentarian leaders. Many other buildings in addition to the Hall were destroyed.

It was not until the Restoration that Archbishop Juxon was to rebuild the Great Hall. He used much of his own money to complete the works and attempted as much as possible to replicate the original medieval style. In his diary of 1665 Samuel Pepys described a visit to see "Bishop Juxon's new old-fashioned hall".

In spite of Juxon's splendid restoration the Great Hall was rarely used until the early nineteenth century, when as part of the renovation of the Palace by Blore, the Hall first became a home for the Lambeth Palace Library. 

The hammer beam roof of the Great Hall was completely destroyed during the blitz. As part of the post-war restoration work Archbishop Juxon's original design was replicated exactly, although many of the books and furniture damaged in the blast could not be restored or replaced.

As well as being home to the Lambeth Palace Library the Great Hall is often used (during the warmer months) for receptions and events.

For more details about the Great Hall visit: Lambeth Palace Library