King's Beasts, Hampton Court Palace
Ten heraldic beasts commemorating Henry VIII's marriage to Jane Seymour.
The King's Beasts are a series of ten heraldic animal statues that stand on the bridge over the moat leading to the great gatehouse of Hampton Court Palace. Commissioned by King Henry VIII to commemorate his marriage to his third wife, Jane Seymour, the original statues represented the ancestry of both the king and queen. Destroyed during renovations in the late 17th century, the beasts were reconstructed in the early 20th century based on original specifications.
- Location
- Hampton Court Palace, bridge over moat
- Number of statues
- 10
- Original commissioner
- King Henry VIII
- Original carvers
- Harry Corant and Richard Ridge
- Original cost per statue
- 26 shillings
- Original completion year
- 1536
- Reconstruction era
- Early 20th century
Lore & Background
The bridge over which the beasts stand was built after the previous wooden bridge was condemned. In 1535, six hundred tons of stone were purchased from Headington quarries for the facing, with a brick core. The main work was completed in October 1536, by which time Henry had married Jane Seymour. The king then ordered the carving of the King's and Queen's beasts with shields, executed by Harry Corant and Richard Ridge from Kingston, each statue costing 26 shillings.
Reader's Guide
The King's Beasts are significant as a rare surviving example of Tudor heraldic display, directly tied to Henry VIII's marriage to Jane Seymour and his desire to project dynastic legitimacy. The original statues stood until about 1691, when they were demolished during alterations by William III and used to fill the moat. After partial exposure in 1873, the moat was cleared in 1909, and the beasts were reconstructed under the direction of heraldic writer Edward Earle Dorling. The series inspired later sets, including forty-two royal beasts at St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, and the Queen's Beasts created for the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, which replaced the three Seymour items and one dragon with beasts representing Elizabeth's ancestry. In 2009, eight small wooden King's Beasts were carved for a new Tudor garden at Hampton Court to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession.
Did You Know?
- The original statues were destroyed during renovations in the late 17th century and filled in the moat.
- Each original statue cost 26 shillings, carved by Harry Corant and Richard Ridge.
- The Richmond greyhound at Hampton Court has a leash attached to its collar, unlike most depictions of the royal beast.
- The Seymour unicorn may have been chosen as a symbol of Henry's hope for a male heir.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the King's Beasts at Hampton Court Palace?
They are a set of ten heraldic animal statues positioned on the bridge spanning the moat in front of the palace's great gatehouse. Henry VIII had them created in 1536 to mark his marriage to Jane Seymour, and each beast symbolizes an ancestor of either the king or the queen.
Who carved the original King's Beasts and what did they cost?
Sculptors Harry Corant and Richard Ridge produced the ten statues, with each one costing 26 shillings. The commission was completed in 1536 under Henry VIII's direction.
What happened to the original statues?
The Henry VIII-era beasts were demolished during a round of renovations in the late 1600s. The versions visitors see today were rebuilt in the early 1900s using the surviving original specifications.
Why were the King's Beasts commissioned in the first place?
Henry VIII ordered them as a public heraldic statement celebrating his union with Jane Seymour, his third wife. The ten animals collectively trace the ancestral lines of both the king and the queen, turning the palace entrance into a walking genealogy.
Where exactly can you find the King's Beasts?
They stand in a row on the bridge that crosses the moat directly in front of the great gatehouse at Hampton Court Palace in Surrey, England. There are ten statues in total, arranged to flank the approach to the palace.
More in Heraldic beasts 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
This is a living reference — every entry is fact-audited, and reader corrections feed straight into our audit queue. Suggest an edit · See this site's audit record