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{{Short description|Former royal palace in Boreham, Essex, England}}
{{distinguish|Beaulieu Palace House}}{{Infobox historic site
| name = Palace of Beaulieu
| image = Palace of Beaulieu.jpg
| gbgridref = TL7346010284
| coordinates = {{coord|51|45|51.84|N|0|30|42.84|E}}
| location = [[Boreham]]
| locmapin = Essex
| designation1 = Grade I
}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=February 2015}}
[[image:Beaulieu2.jpg|right|350px|thumb|Beaulieu Palace circa 1580]]

The '''Palace of Beaulieu''' ({{IPAc-en|audio=En-uk-Beaulieu.ogg|ˈ|b|juː|l|i}} {{respell|BEW|lee}}) or '''Newhall''' is a former royal palace in [[Boreham]], [[Essex]], England, north-east of [[Chelmsford]]. The surviving part is a Grade I listed building. The property is currently occupied by [[New Hall School]].

== History ==
[[File:Palace of Beaulieu.jpg|thumb|Beaulieu in 1669 from Count Magalotti]]
The estate on which it was built – the manor of ''Walhfare'' in Boreham – was granted to the Canons of [[Waltham Abbey Church|Waltham Abbey]] in 1062.<ref>[http://www.anglo-saxons.net/hwaet/?do=get&type=charter&id=1036 Charter of 1062 ref: S 1036]</ref> After various changes of possession, it was granted by the Crown to [[Thomas Butler, 7th Earl of Ormond]] in 1491. By this time, it had a house called New Hall.<ref>{{National Heritage List for England| num=1000207|desc=New Hall, Boreham |work=[[Register of Historic Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest in England|Register of Historic Parks and Gardens]]|access-date=4 June 2012}}</ref><ref>{{NHLE|num=1338404|desc=New Hall|grade=I|access-date=5 October 2021}}</ref>

In 1516, New Hall was sold by [[Thomas Boleyn, 1st Earl of Wiltshire|Thomas Boleyn]], father of [[Anne Boleyn]], to King [[Henry VIII]] for £1,000.{{#tag:ref|{{cite web|title= Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a UK Pound amount, 1516 to Present|url= http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/|publisher = Measuringworth.com|access-date = 4 June 2012}} £543,000 based on [[Retail price index|RPI]] in 2012 money or £5,440,000 on the basis of average earnings|group= n}} The king rebuilt the house in brick at a cost of £17,000.<ref>[[Maurice Howard]], ''The Early Tudor Country House: Architecture and politics 1490-1550'' (George Philip, 1987), p. 205. 
</ref>{{#tag:ref|{{cite web|title= Five Ways to Compute the Relative Value of a UK Pound amount, 1517 to Present|url= http://www.measuringworth.com/ukcompare/|publisher = Measuringworth.com|access-date = 4 June 2012}} £10,400,000 based on [[Retail price index|RPI]] in 2012 money or £102,000,000 on the basis of average earnings|group= n}}  He gave his new palace the name Beaulieu, meaning "beautiful place" in [[French language|French]]. The name expressed Henry's desire for fine things, though the name change did not outlast the century.

A royal wardrobe official, James Chapell, took measurements of the new apartments and travelled to Flanders to buy tapestries. He bought eleven different qualities of material, to cover an area of 3,238 Flemish ells (1,818 square yards).<ref>[[Thomas P. Campbell]], ''Henry VIII and the Art of Majesty: Tapestries at the Tudor Court'' (Yale, 2007), p. 116.</ref> The chronicle writer [[Edward Hall]] describes a banquet and [[masque]] at "Newhall, otherwyse called Beaulieu" in September 1519.<ref>Janette Dillon, ''Performance and spectacle in Hall's Chronicle'' (London, 2002), pp. 68–69, 216–8.</ref> Eight disguised courtiers entered after the feast and danced with the ladies. [[Catherine of Aragon]] removed their visors or masks, revealing them to be all men aged over fifty.<ref>[[Sydney Anglo]], ''Spectacle Pageantry and Early Tudor Policy'' (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1969), p. 122.</ref> Another group of six younger men, including [[Treaty of London (1518)|four hostages for the French treaty]], then came in costume to dance.<ref>Janette Dillon, 'Shakespeare and the Masque', ''Shakespeare Survey, 60: Theatres for Shakespeare'' (Cambridge, 2007), pp. 69–70: Thomas Betteridge & [[Suzannah Lipscomb]], ''Henry VIII and the Court: Art, Politics and Performance'' (Ashgate, 2016).</ref>

On 23 July 1527 Henry's court arrived at Beaulieu on his summer progress, staying, unusually, for over a month in the company of a large number of nobles and their wives, including Anne Boleyn's father who had been created [[Viscount Rochford]], the [[Thomas Howard, 3rd Duke of Norfolk|Dukes of Norfolk]] and [[Charles Brandon, 1st Duke of Suffolk|Suffolk]], the [[Henry Courtenay, 1st Marquess of Exeter|Marquess of Exeter]], the [[John de Vere, 15th Earl of Oxford|Earls of Oxford]], [[Henry Bourchier, 2nd Earl of Essex|Essex]], and [[Thomas Manners, 1st Earl of Rutland|Rutland]], and [[Robert Radcliffe, 1st Earl of Sussex|Viscount Fitzwalter]]. It was here that Henry devised a scheme to allow him to cohabit with his intended successor of Queen [[Catherine of Aragon]], Anne Boleyn, by obtaining a [[Papal bull]] that declared Henry's marriage to Catherine invalid, effectively allowing him to commit [[polygamy|bigamy]] by claiming he was technically unmarried in the first place. This plan was dropped when [[Thomas Wolsey|Cardinal Wolsey]] discovered the plan, though [[Pope Clement VII]] did, in fact, issue a bull to the same effect that December.<ref>[[Retha M. Warnicke]], ''The Rise And Fall of Anne Boleyn: Family Politics at the Court of Henry VIII'' (Cambridge University Press 1989).</ref>

In October 1533, the daughter of Queen Catherine, [[Mary I of England|Mary]], and her companion [[Margaret Douglas]], who had been staying at Beaulieu for some time, were evicted.<ref>Morgan Ring, ''So High A Blood: The Life of Margaret Countess of Lennox'' (Bloomsbury, 2017), p. 39.</ref> The king had recently granted the palace to [[George Boleyn, 2nd Viscount Rochford|George Boleyn]] (Anne Boleyn's brother). George had been a keeper at Beaulieu when the palace was in the hands of the king. The [[Inventory of Henry VIII of England|royal inventory of 1547]] noted 29 great beds, four bathing rooms with wooden floors and beds set in the wall, and a library with 37 titles.<ref>[[David Starkey]], ''The Inventory of Henry VIII'', vol. 1 (London: Society of Antiquaries, 1998), 341-343.</ref>

After Anne Boleyn was beheaded and Henry married [[Jane Seymour]], he was convinced by his new wife to bring his daughters back to court. In 1537, when Queen Jane died after giving birth to a son, [[Edward VI of England|Edward]], Mary, Henry's eldest daughter was made godmother to her half-brother Edward and acted as chief mourner at the Queen's funeral. Henry granted her a household and Mary was permitted to reside in royal palaces. Her privy purse expenses for nearly the whole of this period have been published and show that [[Hatfield Palace]], the Palace of Beaulieu (also called Newhall), [[Richmond Palace|Richmond]], and [[Hunsdon House|Hunsdon]] were among her principal places of residence. Some of the furnishings at Newhall were taken away for Edward's lodgings and wardrobe.<ref>Thomas P. Campbell, ''Henry VIII and the Art of Majesty: Tapestries at the Tudor Court'' (Yale, 2007), p. 247.</ref> Henry VIII gave Newhall to Mary as a bequest in his will, and it was her home during the reign of her brother [[Edward VI]].<ref>David Loades, ''Mary Tudor: A Life'' (Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1989), p. 138: [[Howard Colvin]], ''History of the King's Works'', 4:2 (London: HMSO, 1982), p. 174.</ref>

==Earls of Sussex and Buckingham==
Queen [[Elizabeth I of England|Elizabeth I]] granted the estate in 1573 to [[Thomas Radclyffe, 3rd Earl of Sussex]], who seems to have largely rebuilt the north wing. It is not known though whether he rebuilt other parts of the palace; a fire had occurred in Henry VIII's time and the palace could have been mostly rebuilt then. Soon after the north range was completed, Thomas installed Elizabeth's coat of arms above the main entrance which is still visible today. Elizabeth I came to New Hall in September 1579. She was greeted by a theatrical entertainment presenting Jupiter and a thunderstorm. The next day there was jousting. A sleeping knight was brought in a chariot led by a maiden, and appeared to be revived by the Queen. Elizabeth was given a horse, a cloak, and a riding [[safeguard (costume)|safeguard]] for hunting the next day.<ref>Neil Younger, 'Drama, Politics, and News in the Earl of Sussex's Entertainment of Elizabeth I at New Hall, 1579', ''The Historical Journal'', 58:2 (June 2015), pp. 343–366.</ref>

The 3rd Earl's will details his furnishings, mentioning rooms at New Hall including the royal presence chamber hanged with tapestry of the "[[Danse Macabre|Dance of Death]]". Some of the tapestry was supplied by [[Horatio Palavicino]]. A crimson velvet "sparver" canopy was embroidered with hands, dragons, and porcupines (recorded as "porpentines"). Another inventory notes tapestry with subjects including Alexander, Esther, and the Planets. Some tapestry remaining at Newhall in 1583 had been left by Mary I.<ref>[[F. G. Emmison]], ''Elizabethan Life: Wills of Essex Gentry and Merchants'' (Chelmsford, 1978), pp. 1–6: British Library, Lansdowne vol/39 f.123.</ref>

In July 1622, [[Robert Radclyffe, 5th Earl of Sussex]], sold the house to [[George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham]] for £30,000. [[James VI and I]] and [[Charles I of England|Prince Charles]] visited in September 1622.<ref>[[Roger Lockyer]], ''Buckingham'' (London: Longman, 1981), pp. 120–21: Henry Paton, ''Historical Manuscripts Commission Supplementary Report Mar & Kellie'' (London, 1930), p. 136.</ref> It was said that Buckingham's improvements to the house were directed by [[Inigo Jones]].<ref>Thomas Birch & Folkestone Williams, ''Court and Times of James the First'', 2 (London: Colburn, 1849), pp. 322, 331, 333, 335.</ref> [[Balthazar Gerbier]] and a carpenter made an architectural model for the house.<ref>[[John Sherren Brewer|John S. Brewer]], ''Court of King James the First'', vol. 2 (London, 1839), p. 360.</ref> Buckingham improved the gardens with the help of [[John Tradescant the Elder|John Tradescant]].<ref>[[Roger Lockyer]], ''Buckingham'' (London: Longman, 1981), p. 239.</ref>

During the [[English Civil War]], [[Oliver Cromwell]] took possession of the estate for the sum of five [[shilling]]s. After reverting to the [[George Villiers, 2nd Duke of Buckingham|2nd Duke of Buckingham]] at the [[Restoration (England)|Restoration]], it was sold to [[George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle]], and the court of King [[Charles II of England|Charles II]] was frequently entertained there. [[Cosimo III de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany|Cosimo de' Medici, Grand Duke of Tuscany]], visited in 1669 and a member of his retinue produced a view of the house. A copy of this view was published in 1821.<ref>[http://www.buildinghistory.org/primary/magalotti/newhall.shtml New Hall in 1669 - a view by Magalotti]</ref>
[[File:School view small file.jpg|thumb|The surviving north wing, now occupied by [[New Hall School]]]]

==New Hall in the 18th century==
Benjamin Hoare acquired the property in 1713, but it was in a poor state when purchased in 1737 by [[John Olmius, 1st Baron Waltham|John Olmius]], elevated to the peerage as [[Baron Waltham]] in 1762, who demolished and rebuilt much of the former palace. The north wing was left largely untouched and forms the present house. John was succeeded in 1762 by his son [[Drigue Olmius, 2nd Baron Waltham|Drigue]] who died childless in 1787, aged 40, when New Hall devolved on his sister, the Honourable Elizabeth. However, she died the same year and her husband [[John Luttrell-Olmius, 3rd Earl of Carhampton|John Luttrell]], later the [[Earl of Carhampton]], took on the Olmius name; but, already owning the Carhampton estate including [[Painshill]], he sold New Hall in 1798.

The purchasers in 1798 were the English nuns of the [[Canonesses Regular of the Holy Sepulchre|Order of the Holy Sepulchre]], who opened a [[Catholic school]] there the following year. [[New Hall School]] remains a school to this day. The Royal Arms of Henry VIII are in the school chapel. In 2006 a book, ''New Hall and its School'', was published by Tony Tuckwell.<ref>{{cite book|title=New Hall and its School: A True School of Virtuous Demeanour, Hardcover|year=2006|publisher=Free Range Publishing|location=England|isbn=978-1872979021|pages=281}}</ref>

The Beaulieu name is now remembered in the name of the nearby housing estate, Beaulieu Park, [[Boreham]].

In February 2009, Channel 4's ''[[Time Team]]'' visited and excavated the grounds of the former palace. The [[Time_Team_(specials)#2009|special programme]] was broadcast on 13 April 2009. In the excavations, the team uncovered the chapel, west wing and the gatehouse.<ref>[http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/chronicle/CHELMSFORD-Time-Team-dig-historic-school/article-707153-detail/article.html Time team dig historic school] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090221142831/http://www.thisistotalessex.co.uk/chronicle/CHELMSFORD-Time-Team-dig-historic-school/article-707153-detail/article.html |date=21 February 2009 }}</ref>

==Notes and references==
===Notes===
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===Citations===
{{reflist|30em}}

==External links==
{{Commonscategory|Palace of Beaulieu}}
* [https://www.flickr.com/photos/beechwoodphotography/4472840947/sizes/m/ Henry VIII & Catherine of Aragon coat of arms]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20100311230727/http://www.newhallschool.co.uk/about-new-hall/history-of-new-hall-and-the-school/ History of New Hall and New Hall School]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20110728103332/http://www.pastscape.org/hob.aspx?hob_id=378691 New Hall, English Heritage Pastscape]
{{Royal palaces in the United Kingdom}}

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[[Category:1516 establishments in England]]
[[Category:Houses completed in 1516]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures in Essex|Beaulieu, Palace of]]
[[Category:History of Essex]]
[[Category:Palaces in England|Beaulieu, Palace of]]
[[Category:Tudor royal palaces in England|Beaulieu, Palace of]]
[[Category:Royal residences in the United Kingdom|Beaulieu, Palace of]]
[[Category:Country houses in Essex]]
[[Category:Boreham]]
[[Category:Henry VIII]]
[[Category:Mary I of England]]
[[Category:Burned buildings and structures in the United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Oliver Cromwell]]
[[Category:George Monck, 1st Duke of Albemarle]]
[[Category:George Villiers, 1st Duke of Buckingham]]