Hatfield House & Gardens
AL9 5NB Hatfield Hertfordshire
Hatfield House & Gardens - Childhood Home of Queen Elizabeth I
It was at Hatfield House that Queen Elizabeth I, received the news that she was the new Queen of England, and her first Council of State took place in the Great Hall of the Royal Palace.
Today, visitors can view Hatfield House (Banqueting Hall is what remains of the original palace) and also visit the park/gardens - in particular, the oak tree, which Elizabeth was sitting under when she received the news that she was Queen. (Gardens cover 42 acres of land.)
The house was completed by Robert Cecil in 1611, and is currently owned by Robert Gascoyne-Cecil, 7th Marquess of Salisbury; it has been used as the location of many film sets.
Entrance fee – Old Palace Adults £5.00 Children £2.50.
Trains leave London’s King’s Cross and take approximately 30 minutes (fastest train 20 minutes). Hatfield House is directly across from the train station (pedestrian entrance).