16th & 17th Centuries: Royal Influences

It can reasonably be said that the history of the development of Kew today began in the 16th and 17th centuries. Henry VII built Richmond Palace in the 16th century, on the site of the earlier royal house. He moved his court to the palace for the summer months and fundamentally changed people's perceptions of the area.

Richmond’s Thames-side location meant the King and his courtiers could sail to and from London, travelling quicker and more comfortably than by road. The very presence of the court drew the nobles and influential courtiers to the area, and the nearby village of Kew grew rapidly over the next 100 years. By the 17th century Kew’s place as a hub of power and political intrigue was firmly established.

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Richmond Lodge & the early development of Richmond Gardens

Kew Field - the start of Kew Gardens

Kew Farm & the Dutch House

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