Illustration
Despite the composition of a very significant English legal document within its halls, this 12th-century palace is nearly forgotten. The ‘Constitutions of Clarendon’ were Henry II’s attempt to gain legal authority over church clerks, but he instead exacerbated a feud with his friend Thomas Becket. This feud eventually led to Archbishop Beckett’s martyrdom.
Henry III expanded the palace, commissioning a carved fireplace and stained glass chapel. By the 1400s, Clarendon was a sprawling royal complex. It remained a favourite retreat of monarchs until the Tudor era, when the high cost of upkeep resulted in its rapid decline. Today, only a single wall remains above ground.
This reconstruction was commissioned by Budget Direct, a travel insurance company.
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Cite This Work
APA Style
Direct, B. (2021, May 14). Clarendon Palace, Wiltshire, UK - Reconstruction. World History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14024/clarendon-palace-wiltshire-uk---reconstruction/
Chicago Style
Direct, Budget. "Clarendon Palace, Wiltshire, UK - Reconstruction." World History Encyclopedia. Last modified May 14, 2021. https://www.worldhistory.org/image/14024/clarendon-palace-wiltshire-uk---reconstruction/.
MLA Style
Direct, Budget. "Clarendon Palace, Wiltshire, UK - Reconstruction." World History Encyclopedia. World History Encyclopedia, 14 May 2021. Web. 21 Feb 2025.
