DLW Linoleum adorns Hampton Court Palace in London
Hampton Court Palace near London is the only surviving palace of notorious English monarch King Henry VIII. This was the scene of 500 years of royal history. Hampton Court Palace served as a retreat for many rulers, and it was particularly appreciated by Henry VIII. The Council Chamber was one of the first rooms that the English king had built after he assumed ownership of the building, and it is precisely here that English monarchs during the 16 th century made numerous landmark decisions whose effects, in some cases, can still be felt today.
Because of the historic importance of the Council Chamber, it was opened to the public in 2009 for the first time as part of the celebrations for the 500 th anniversary of Henry’s accession to the throne.
From April to August, 2009, this was the venue for a temporary exhibition called Henry’s Women exploring the real women behind the famous wives of Henry VIII – all six of them – plus his two daughters. Today, the Council Chamber is a virtual and multimedia "debate room". Its opening was preceded by meticulous renovation work. The room is roughly 16 ft x 16 ft large and 10 ft high and has an open fireplace. There are only three windows that face west onto an outer courtyard and, on the whole, relatively little sunlight enters the room. Nevertheless, the designers were challenged to create a Tudor-inspired setting
– both for the permanent presentation of the Council Chamber and the temporary exhibition of the women's portraits.
The walls of the Council Chamber are lavishly covered in dark blue silk, decorated with golden lilies and stylized Tudor Roses.
Above Henry's throne hangs a canopy made of luxurious cloth, which acts as an eye-catcher for visitors. The courtier seats

– 2 – arranged in two semi-circles were inspired by Tudor style furniture. Although the real Henry VIII is of course no longer present, life-size portraits displayed on four screens debate with each other and allow visitors to immerse themselves in his historic world.
The splendid floor of the Council Chamber is also fascinating. It is visually reminiscent of the colorful flooring of the royal Tudor interior. Using DLW linoleum from Armstrong, Drummond
Flooring has executed a design which resembles the Tudor
Rose – with the original tones of red, yellow, black and white.
Before installing the linoleum, the worn wooden floor was covered with a 6 mm thick layer of plywood to preserve it.
Meanwhile at Armstrong the pattern was transferred to a modern ultrasound cutting machine. Using electronically controlled coordinate guides, the lance-shaped knife cleanly cut the desired pieces with incredible precision. The individual pieces were then joined by hand and installed in the palace.
Thanks to this elaborate inlay work, visitors can now admire a truly royal Council Chamber – and Hampton Court Palace has gained a new attraction.
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Photo captions:
Armstrong Hampton Court Palace_1.jpg
Hampton Court Palace in London is the oldest Tudor palace as well as the most important royal residence in Great Britain.
Photo: Armstrong
Armstrong Hampton Court Palace_2.jpg
The Council Chamber was opened to the public for the first time in 2009.
Photo: Hampton Court Palace
Armstrong Hampton Court Palace_3.jpg
The splendid floor of the Council Chamber is reminiscent of the
Tudor Age, and the colorful pattern was made with DLW linoleum from Armstrong.
Photo: Armstrong
Armstrong Hampton Court Palace_4.jpg
The design of the floor resembles the Tudor Rose and the inlay work was done by Drummond Flooring.
Photo: Armstrong
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