Britain has been blessed with some of the finest architectural periods in history. From the medieval times through to the Victorian era, the sheer wonderment of some of the country’s most iconic buildings has us considering the size of the mortgage we’d need. Here we shine a light on some of the most iconic examples of British architecture and how much sterling we’d need to make a purchase today.
Buckingham Palace
How could we not start this blog without paying a visit to the royal residence of Buckingham Palace? Currently home and royal HQ of Queen Elizabeth II, the palace is a symbol of the British monarchy and one of London’s most visited tourist attractions.
Buckingham Palace started life in 1706 when it was built by the Duke of Buckingham for £7,000 – the equivalent today of £734,000. The palace was purchased in 1761 by George III (Queen Victoria’s Grandfather) for £21,000 and he spent a further £73,000 remodelling it. Today, the purchase price and renovation costs would equate to over £9 million.
Further renovations took place in 1826 by George IV at a cost just shy of £500,000. Then when Queen Victoria took to the throne, she was dissatisfied with Buckingham Palace’s size. She sold Brighton Pavilion and used £53,000 to add an extension onto the palace; the East Wing.
As time progressed and the succession of monarchs and their accompanying families moved in and out of Buckingham Palace, fewer large-scale changes were made. If the Crown was to fall on hard times, it could sell Buckingham Palace at an estimated value of £3.84 billion.
Blenheim Palace
As far as British palaces go, most have royal ties. However, Blenheim Palace is the only non-royal, non-religious estate to be given the title of a palace within England. Located in Oxfordshire, the sprawling property and gardens are a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the home to the current Duke of Marlborough and his family.
The first Duke of Marlborough, John Churchill, had the baroque palace built between 1705 and 1722. The land the Duke had Blenheim Palace constructed on was a gift from Queen Anne as a reward for his triumphs in the War of the Spanish Succession. The palace’s iconic parklands were designed by Capability Brown and the home itself is brimming with antiques. The entire estate is open to the public.
Today, Blenheim Palace is worth an estimated £180 million.
Windsor Castle
Dating back to the 11th century, Windsor Castle is part of the Occupied Royal Palaces Estate. Whilst some of the castle is open to visitors, it is a favourite escape of the Crown and The Queen takes residence there for a month every Easter.
Having been home to over 41 monarchs, Windsor Castle is a mishmash of Victorian, Georgian and Gothic architectural styles. Visitors are often enamoured with the grandeur of the State Apartments, which exude lavish Georgian style, and the medieval St George’s Chapel where many royal weddings have taken place.
Despite its royal connection and status as a symbol of British heritage, Windsor Castle is valued the same as Blenheim Palace, at £180 million sterling.
Hampton Court Palace
In 1515 Thomas Wolsey, Cardinal of the Catholic Church and King Henry VIII’s almoner began renovating Hampton Court Palace. 200,000 crowns were spent over a seven-year period. With five shillings to a crown, this meant Wolsey spent 1,000,000 shillings, which has an equivalent modern-day value of just under £14 million – an incredible sum for the 16th century.
Famous as the residence of Henry VIII and his myriad of wives over the years, Hampton Court Palace boasts 1,000 rooms and 800 acres of land. Like all of the incredible structures on our list, Hampton Court Palace is priceless. However, if it were to go up for sale, figures would edge over £1 billion.