Hampton Court Palace has been the setting for some of the most momentous events in English history — royal weddings and christenings, diplomatic summits and theatrical masques, religious conferences and political conspiracies.
In January 1604, King James I summoned leading churchmen to Hampton Court to discuss reforms to the Church of England. The conference's most lasting legacy was the commissioning of a new English translation of the Bible — the King James Bible, published in 1611.
Henry VIII was passionate about jousting and built a grand tiltyard at Hampton Court where tournaments were held to celebrate important occasions, impress foreign ambassadors, and allow the King to demonstrate his physical prowess.