Croydon Palace was the summer residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury for over 500 years. Regular visitors included Queen Elizabeth I and Henry III. Now known as 'Old Palace', the buildings are still in use as the Old Palace School, an independent girls' school of the Whitgift Foundation. Arms of the Archbishop of Canterbury The Archbishop of Canterbury is the most senior bishop of the state Church of England and of the worldwide Anglican Communion, outranking the other English archbishop, the Archbishop of York. ... Elizabeth I Queen of England and Ireland Queen of France, nominal title Elizabeth I (September 7, 1533–March 24, 1603) was Queen of England and Queen of Ireland from November 17, 1558 until her death. ... Henry III (October 1, 1207 – November 16, 1272) is one of the least-known British monarchs, considering the great length of his reign. ... The Old Palace School is an independent girls school in Croydon, England, founded in 1889. ... The Whitgift Foundation was established in 1599 by John Whitgift. ...

The Manor of Croydon was connected with the Archbishop of Canterbury from at least the late Saxon period, and records of buildings date back to before 960. The Palace as it now exists is a group of largely 15th and 16th century buildings. The 15th-century Great Hall is thought to have been installed by Archbishop Stafford (d. 1452), with a late-14th-century two-storey porch and a vaulted ceiling to the lower chamber. The hall interior has a rich 16th-century timber roof and windows with interesting features. The Saxons were a large and powerful Germanic people located in what is now northwestern Germany and a small section of the eastern Netherlands. ... Events Edgar the Peaceable crowned King of England. ... (14th century - 15th century - 16th century - other centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 15th century was that century which lasted from 1401 to 1500. ... (15th century - 16th century - 17th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 16th century was that century which lasted from 1501 to 1600. ... John Stafford (d. ... Events October - English troops under John Talbot, 1st Earl of Shrewsbury, land in Guyenne, France, and retake most of the province without a fight. ... (13th century - 14th century - 15th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 14th century was that century which lasted from 1301 to 1400. ...

West of the Hall are the state apartments, which include the first-floor "Guard Room", now the school library. The room is ascribed to Archbishop Arundel (1353–1414) and has an arch-braced roof with late-14th-century carved stone supports. Other rooms have later panelling and fireplaces. The chapel has fine 17th-century stalls and an elaborate corner gallery. The fine altar rails are now in the Guard Room. The exterior of the whole palace is of stone or red brick, with early stone windows or Georgian sash windows. Thomas Arundel (1353-1414) was Archbishop of Canterbury in 1397 and from 1399 until his death, an outspoken opponent of the Lollards. ... Events The Decameron was finished by Giovanni Boccaccio. ... Events Council of Constance begins. ... (16th century - 17th century - 18th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 17th century was that century which lasted from 1601-1700 in the Gregorian calendar. ... A belt is a flexible band, made of either leather or a type of cloth, worn around the waist, generally serving the purpose of supporting clothing items that would otherwise become too loose, particularly trousers. ...

The connection of the Archbishops with Croydon was of great importance, with several being important local benefactors. Six are buried in Croydon Parish Church, neighbouring the Palace: John Whitgift, Edmund Grindal, Gilbert Sheldon, William Wake, John Potter and Thomas Herring. John Whitgift (c. ... Edmund Grindal (c. ... Gilbert Sheldon (1598-1677), Archbishop of Canterbury, was born at Stanton in the parish of Ellastone, Staffordshire, and educated at Oxford. ... William Wake (1657-1737), English archbishop, was born in Blandford Forum, Dorset, on January 26 1657, and educated at Christ Church, Oxford. ... John Potter (c. ...

By the late 18th century, the Palace had become delapidated and uncomfortable and the local area was squalid. An Act of Parliament enabled Croydon Palace to be sold and Addington Palace on the outskirts of Croydon to be bought in 1807. This became the new summer residence for much of the rest of the 19th century. (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... In Westminster System parliaments, an Act of Parliament is a part of the law passed by the Parliament. ... Addington Palace is a largely 18th-century Palace in Addington near Croydon, south London. ... 1807 was a common year starting on Thursday (see link for calendar). ... Alternative meaning: Nineteenth Century (periodical) (18th century — 19th century — 20th century — more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 19th century was that century which lasted from 1801-1900 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External link

• Friends of Old Palace (http://www.friendsofoldpalace.org/)