Top 10 Interesting Facts about Lambeth Palace

Lambeth Palace photo by Basher Eyre-Wikimedia Commons.

Top 10 Interesting Facts about Lambeth Palace

Lambeth Palace is the London home of the Archbishop of Canterbury, his family, and two religious communities.

However, it is the Centre of his ministry, worship, and hospitality. The palace is also used as an events venue for organizations and charities and also during the summer its beautiful garden often hosts to receptions and outdoor activities.

The palace is situated in north Lambeth London on the south bank of the River Thames and it is 400 yards southeast of the Palace of Westminster. Here are 10 interesting facts about Lambeth Palace.

Lambeth Palace photo by Secretlondon-Wikimedia Commons.

1. The Lambeth Palace was Once called the Lambeth house however it was Acquired by the Archbishop and it was Named the Lambeth palace

The original residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury was his episcopal Canterbury Kent a site originally called Manor of Lambeth or Lambeth house it was acquired by the diocese around AD 1200 and has since served as the archbishop’s London residence.

Furthermore, the site is bounded by Lambeth Palace Road to the west and Lambeth Road to the south but unlike all surrounding land is excluded from the parish of north Lambeth.

Lambeth Palace photo by Marathon-Wikimedia Commons.

2. The Former Church in front of the Palace Entrance was Converted into a Garden Museum

The garden museum was formerly known as the Museum of garden history and it is Britain’s only museum of the art, history, and design of gardens.

The building is largely the Victorian reconstruction of the church of St Mary at Lambeth which was deconsecrated in 1972 and was scheduled to be demolished.

The museum is adjacent to the Lambeth Palace on the south bank of the River Thames in London on Lambeth road.

Interestingly in 1976 John and Rosemary Nicholson traced the tomb of the two 17th-century royal gardeners and plant hunters John Tradescant the Elder and the Younger to the churchyard and they were inspired to create the Museum of Garden History.

More so the Garden Museum was the first museum in the world dedicated to the history of gardening.

Lambeth Palace photo by Martin Addison-Wikimedia Commons.

3. The Palace Building is Listed in the Highest Category Grade I for its Architecture

The building is listed in the highest category Grade I for its architecture. Its front gatehouse with its tall crenelated gatehouse resembles Hampton Court Palace’s gatehouse which is also of the Tudor period.

However, Morton’s Gatehouse was at its very start in the 1490s rather than in the same generation as Cardinal Wolsey’s wider similarly partially stone-dressed deep red brick façade.

While this is the most public-facing bit it is the oldest at the northwest corner however the water tower or Lollards Tower mentioned above is made of Kentish Ragstone with ashlar quoins and a brick turret is much older.

Lambeth Palace photo by Thomas Nugent-Wikimedia Commons.

4. New Construction was Added to the Building in 1834

New construction was added to the building in 1834 by Edward Blore who built much of Buckingham palace later in neo-gothic style and its front spacious quadrangle.

However, the buildings form the home of the Archbishop who is ex officio a member of the House of Lords and is regarded as the first among equals in the Anglican Communion.

5. The Palace has a Library called Lambeth Palace Library

Within the precincts of the Palace is Lambeth Palace Library the official library of the archbishop of Canterbury and the principal repository of records of the Church of England.

The library describes itself as “the largest religious collection outside of the Vatican”.

However, the library was founded as a public library by Archbishop Richard Bancroft in 1610 and was historically located within the main palace complex.

A new purpose-built library and repository opened in 2021. This is located at the far end of the palace gardens with its entrance on Lambeth Palace Road and was designed by Wright & Wright.

In addition, to the existing library collections, it houses the archival collections of various church of England Institutions formerly held at the church of England Record Centre in Bermondsey.

6. Lambeth Palace Library Contains an Extensive Collection of Ecclesiastical History and the Archives of the Archbishops Dating Back to the 12^th Century

The library contains an extensive collection of material relating to ecclesiastical history including the archives of the archbishops dating back to the 12^th century and those of other church bodies and various Anglican Missionary and charitable societies.

However, the library holds approximately 120,000 printed books, and interestingly in 1996 when Sion College library closed Lambeth Palace acquired its important holdings of manuscripts, pre-1850 printed books, and pamphlets.  

7. Outside the Gatehouse of the Palace  Stands the Former Parish Church of St Mary at Lambeth

Immediately outside the gatehouse stands the former parish church of St Mary at Lambeth.

However, the tower dates from 1377 and it was repaired in 1834 while the body of the church was rebuilt in 1851 to the designs of Philip Hardwick.

Interestingly older monuments were preserved including the tombs of some of the gardeners and plantsmen John Tradescant the elder and his son of the same name and Admiral William Bligh.

Furthermore, during the renovation works in 2016 a previously unknown crypt was discovered containing 30 coffins.

And amongst these were those of five Archbishops of Canterbury including Richard Bancroft, Thomas Tenison, Matthew Hutton, Fredrick Cornwalls, and John Moore as well as that of John Bettesworth Dean of the Arches.

8. Lambeth Palace is home to the Community is Saint Anselm

The community of Saint Anselm is an Anglican Religious order of young people devoted to prayer study and service to the poor and It is based at Lambeth Palace.

However, it consists of annually replaced 16 residential members from around the world and around 20 nonresidential members who live and work in the London area.

More so members may be aged 20 to 35 and the community is dedicated to Saint Anselm and is under the patronage of the current Archbishop of Canterbury the primus inter pares of the Anglican Communion.

9. The Great Hall of the Palace was Completely Ransacked during the English Civil War

The great hall was completely ransacked including the building material by Cromwellian troops during the English Civil War.

However, the restoration it was completely rebuilt by archbishop William Juxon in 1663 dated with a late Gothic hammer-beam roof.

More so the choice of the hammer-beam roof was evocative as it reflected the High Church Anglican continuity with the old faith and the king’s Charles II brother was an avowed Catholic and served as a visual statement that the interregnum was over.

 10. The fig Tree in the Palace Courtyard is possibly Grown from a Slip taken from One of the White Marseille Fig Trees

Interestingly the fig tree in the palace courtyard is possibly grown from a slip taken from one of the White Marseille fig trees here for centuries reputedly planted by Cardinal Pole.

However, there were three ancient figs two “nailed against the wall” and still noted in 1826 as “two uncommonly fine and traditionally reported to have been planted by Cardinal Pole and fixed against that part of the palace believed to be founded by him.

More so they are of the white Marseilles sort and still bear delicious fruit and on the south side of the building in a small private garden, there is another tree of the same kind and age.