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Penny Rainbow's house on the river Mole, in Esher, is unlike any other in Surrey's swish stockbroker belt. Now known as Wayneflete Tower, after the man who had it built, William Wayneflete, it is also sometimes referred to as Wolsey's Tower on account of the fact that Wolsey stayed there for a time after he was compelled to give Hampton Court to Henry VIII. Either way, the tower is all that remains of the 15th-century Esher Palace – a building that was so grand that it inspired the design of Hampton Court, just a few miles downstream, where the river Mole joins the Thames.
Penny wanted to know what her palace would have looked like five centuries or so ago. Over three days Time Team pieced together the story of a site that evolved into one of the most stunning buildings of early Tudor times. Tony and the Team set about digging up her garden as they tried to identify what might remain of the palace, built towards the end of the Wars of the Roses for the fantastically wealthy bishops of Winchester.
Penny had a special interest in William Wayneflete (1398-1486), who became bishop of Winchester in 1447 and was lord chancellor from 1456-59. Wayneflete survived both the Hundred Years War (which ended in 1453) and the Wars of the Roses (1455-1485), outliving seven kings and making it into the start of the reign of an eighth, Henry VII, who founded the Tudor dynasty. As well as the palace at Esher Place, he was responsible for other important buildings that helped to establish the Tudor architectural style, most notably those of Eton College and Magdalen College, Oxford, for both of which he was the principal benefactor. Penny, a great fan of Wayneflete, hoped that Time Team's investigation would help to consolidate his reputation – and that of the tower he built, as part of possibly the first Tudor palace.
The tower that is now Penny Rainbow's home was originally built in the latter half of the 15th century as a massive, four-storey gate house for William Wayneflete's Esher Palace. There had been buildings here since at least the 11th century, and the palace was built on the site of an existing medieval manor, incorporating and extending what already stood there as well as adding to it. Other changes, improvements and additions were made subsequently before it was all demolished, with the exception of the tower, in 1678. Henry Pelham built a new mansion on the site, incorporating the tower, in 1729.
A detailed map, dating from 1606, shows the palace largely as it must have been for most of the Tudor period. But with so many different phases of building, demolition and rebuilding, it wasn't a straightforward matter of uncovering what was left of Wayneflete's original buildings.
Nor was it entirely easy to accomplish one of Time Team's principal objectives in this programme – to pin down an accurate date for the likely construction of the tower, which was known only slightly vaguely as being towards the end of Wayneflete's life in the late 15th century. Time Team had brought in former regular digger, and now dendrochronologist, Mick Worthington to try to come up with a date through tree-ring dating of some of the timbers in the tower. But so many changes and so much restoration work had been carried out over the years that it was difficult to identify a suitable timber that could be safely associated with the tower's construction.
Eventually, though, 'Mick the Twig' was able to take a suitable sample, which came back with a date for the felling of the tree from which the timber was taken. This was within the period 1462-72, making the tower of slightly earlier construction than had been thought previously. Strictly speaking, therefore, Esher Palace was not a Tudor palace at all, since the Tudor dynasty didn't start until Henry VII seized the throne in 1485. There was no doubt, though, that this was the forerunner of the great Tudor palaces, such as Hampton Court – and with brickwork and certain other features that were in some respects superior.
With the help of the map and other records, and the geophysics survey of the site, the science of which particularly impressed owner Penny Rainbow, Time Team's diggers were also able to pin down the layout of Wayneflete's palace with trenches that came down on most of its major features. As well as the tower, or gate house, itself, these included a high curtain wall adjoining it, the great hall and associated buildings used as kitchens and so on, and – most spectacular of all, even bigger than the gate house, a huge castle-like keep. The foundations of the octagonal corner turrets to this keep were uncovered – with more than a little help and persuasion from Penny Rainbow herself – towards the end of the third day. It was, as Tony said, 'the perfect end to our three days in Esher, uncovering a major brick-built palace that had been lost for 300 years'.
For this programme Time Team worked with potter Beryl Hines and master brick maker Peter Minter in an attempt to reconstruct glazed bricks as used during the Tudor period. Peter Minter answered some questions for the Time Team website.
What was your experience in brick making before doing Time Team?
I've grown up with it all my life. Our firm [Bulmer Brick and Tile] has been making bricks on the same site for hundreds of years. I inherited the company from my father in 1974, so I've been doing it a long time. We specialise in making unusual bricks in a traditional way. We have a brickyard, not a factory, and we're brick makers, not manufacturers. We make over 100 sizes of brick to suit both restoration projects and new builds, and we take orders from single bricks to thousands. [If you need a Tudor-style or other special brick making, call Peter on 01787 269 232.]
What was the aim of the cameo?
We wanted to reconstruct some Tudor decorative glazed bricks such as those found on the site. It was a joint project between me, as the brick maker, and Beryl Hines, the kiln specialist. We worked very well together.
What materials did you use?
The problem with making real bricks is that they take a very long time to complete. It's not unusual for a Tudor-style brick to take three weeks to dry and then two weeks to fire. With Time Team being just three days long we needed to use some that I'd made already at our yard – true 'Blue Peter' style, you could say. It just so happened that I'd been making Tudor bricks for a restoration of a building by the same chap, John Cowper, who built the Wayneflete tower, so they were perfect. We used our three days to experiment with glazes and kiln building. Rather than a lead glaze we used a soda ash glaze made from seaweed just as Cowper would have done.
What was the hardest part of the task?
I guess the hardest part was getting the glaze to the correct colour. It's all down to a good firing of the kiln. We ran the kiln for eight hours and it needed to be continually fed. A good mix of types of wood is needed to obtain the right temperature and colour in the glaze. We changed the height of the kiln's chimney to adjust the flow of the firing until it was perfectly balanced. Though Beryl used her pyrometers to measure the temperature, I still preferred to go by the colour of the flame as I always do. When one of the pyrometers stopped working it was fun to find out that my old-fashioned way was spot on.
Did you learn anything by doing the reconstruction?
I think you can always learn by doing these things. I've been making and firing bricks for decades, yet still found a few things out. For example; I now fully appreciate that if we want a good continuity in a range of glazed brick colours it's best to use a small kiln and use wood for your fuel – that's what the Tudors did. It's just nice to have a few ideas confirmed and also to experiment.
If you did it again would you have done it differently?
I don't think so. It would have been nice to have done a larger load and see how we got on with a bigger kiln, but the reconstruction worked wonderfully as we did it. There was that nail-biting moment when we opened the kiln but when we saw the results we were absolutely delighted.
Are there any other reconstructions you would like to try?
Well I'm 73 now and think I should start writing down my experience in making bricks. We're going to build a new kiln at our yard this coming year (I remember building the current one with my father when I was a boy) and think we should also construct one of these little kilns for experimenting with. We've made specialist bricks for some 10,000 buildings so far but there are always some new things to try.
Bulmer Brick & Tile Company
Brickfields, Hedingham Road, Bulmer, Sudbury, Suffolk CO10 7EF
Tel: 01787 269232
Fax: 01787 269040
E-mail: bbt@bulmerbrickandtile.co.uk
A brickworks has stood on the site of the Bulmer Brick & Tile Company since the 15th century. The company produces hand-moulded facings and special bricks to nearly 5,000 patterns, together with a range of terracotta pieces. It specialises in purpose-made bricks for restoration, using London Bed clay to produce the mellow reds seen in some of the nation's finest buildings, as in their restoration work at Hampton Court and Windsor Castle.
As with the Chenies programme in the 2005 series, Time Team's visit to Esher saw the return of an old favourite for Time Team viewers: the one-time regular excavation supervisor, Mick 'the Dig' Worthington. He was there in his new incarnation as Mick 'the Twig', the dendrochronologist, taking timber samples for tree-ring dating.
After leaving Time Team (he had been advised to give up digging to avoid permanent damage to his knees), Mick concentrated on his dendrochronology business. This is now a fully fledged trans-Atlantic affair, he says, 'with more work than ever'. He was very happy to be back at Time Team, however, even if only for a one-off show.
'It was great to be back', Mick says. 'There's a few new faces but it's not that different. It's great to see the crew again. I've had a hectic time in the States, where there are plenty of people interested in dating their timber houses, and back in the UK where the call for dendrochronology is greater than ever. The worst thing about being back in the UK at the moment is that I'm missing the Whoppers (a US version of Maltesers) – they're really malty and chocolatey. I'll have to see if a runner can get some for me!'
Dendrochronology works on the basis that trees develop new growth rings each year. Climate and other regional conditions affect how thick the rings grow. So two trees of the same species growing at the same time in the same area will have practically the same ring thickness sequence. The chronology is constructed by overlapping successively older samples until the species tree ring pattern goes back for centuries.
'We take a core of wood from, say, a timber beam,' says Mick, 'and then measure the rings down to an accuracy of 0.01 millimetres. Then a computer compares our sample with my database, which holds the full chronology for the species of tree in this region. When I get a sequence match I can establish an accurate date for the sample – and the timber beam it came from.'
Mick dated the timber sample taken from Wayneflete Tower at Esher to 1462-72.
Watched the programme, browsed the web pages? Now try our quick quiz to see how you get on.
Glazed bricks were used to create a high-quality diamond pattern on Wayneflete Tower. By what name is this kind of brickwork known?
Herringbone pattern
Diaper pattern
Nappy rash
What was the main reason for the increased use of chimneys and enclosed fireplaces in Tudor buildings?
Increased smoke from burning coal
Increased use of kitchens
People thought they looked impressive
William Wayneflete was born William Patten but took his name from the town of Wainfleet. Where is Wainfleet?
Lincolnshire
Surrey
Oxfordshire
Which college did William Wayneflete found at Oxford?
Magdalen
Balliol
Ruskin
How many kings ruled in England during William Wayneflete's lifetime?
Six
Seven
Eight
Who was on the throne in 1398, when William Wayneflete was born?
Henry VII
Henry IV
Richard II
Answers here.
A Complete History of the Tower of Esher – a William Wayneflete Landmark by Penny Rainbow (Penny Rainbow, 2006)
Written and published by Penny Rainbow, the owner of Wayneflete Tower since 1992, this is the first book to be devoted solely to the tower and its impressive catalogue of residents. It encompasses more than 500 years of English history, and touches upon the social and political trends that had a direct bearing on its architectural development. The story is embellished with memorable anecdotes, and is woven with biographical portraits of a succession of historic English figureheads, wealthy, fashionable and charismatic owners and visitors. The final chapter is dedicated to the archaeological findings of Time Team's September 2005 dig, which set out to determine the footprint of Wayneflete's palace. Also included is a superb collection of illustrations, some of which have not been printed before. For publication details, contact info@waynefletetower.co.uk.
William Waynflete, Bishop and Educationalist by Virginia Davis (Boydell Press, 1993)
This is the first modern study of William Wayneflete (Davis prefers the alternate spelling). Wayneflete was one of the great educationalists and patrons of learning of late medieval England, and his career was dominated by an interest in education. He played a leading role in some of the changes which transformed education in 15th-century England, including the emergence in Oxford and Cambridge of new and larger colleges; the influence of continental humanist ideas that reshaped English thought; the introduction of the teaching of Greek; the composition of new grammars; and the introduction of printing as a means of disseminating the new learning.
Brick Building in Britain by R W Brunskill (Orion, 1997) paperback £16.99 ISBN: 0575065354
The Tudors reintroduced the use of bricks in building in Britain for the first time since the Romans. The manufacture of brick, its use in historic buildings and the changing styles of brick-based construction and decoration are all described in this well-illustrated book.
Life in the English Country House: A social and architectural history by Mark Girouard (Yale University Press, 1993, 2nd edition) paperback £16.95 ISBN: 0300058705
Classic introductory book on the architecture, use, and evolution of English country houses from the medieval period to the Second World War. Although not an archaeological text it provides a good background on the way house plans, facades etc reflect the original purpose of the building and social standing and expectations of the builder.
The English House by James Chambers (Thames Methuen, 1985) hardback £14.95 ISBN: 042300400X
Tells the story of the English house in all its richness and diversity, from the earliest medieval dwellings to the 20th century. Includes a good introductory chapter on Tudor country houses.
Channel 4 is not responsible for the content of third-party sites.
Wayneflete Tower: The tower of Esher
www.waynefletetower.com
The owner of Wayneflete Tower since 1992, Penny Rainbow has set up this
website to provide information about the tower, including Time Team's visit
in September 2005, and publicise her book, A Complete History of the Tower
of Esher - a William Wayneflete Landmark (see Further reading).
Wayneflete's Tower
http://elmbridgemuseum.org.uk/
?Document=200.010.010x1
Informative article about Wayneflete Tower, and particularly its association with Cardinal Wolsey, by J W Lindus Forge, formerly president of the Walton and Weybridge local history society.
William of Wayneflete
www.newadvent.org/cathen/15640b.htm
Catholic Encyclopedia article on the builder of Wayneflete Tower.
William of Wayneflete
www.magd.ox.ac.uk/history/ww.shtml
Magdalen College website biography.
Tudor History
http://tudorhistory.org/castles
Part of the bigger Tudor History website, these pages include details of various Tudor palaces, including Hampton Court, Hatfield, Hever, Kenilworth, Richmond and the Tower of London. There is also a glossary.
Country houses and stately homes in England and Wales
www.britainexpress.com/Where_to_go_in_Britain/
historic_houses/historic_houses_index.htm
Handy A-Z with details of location, opening arrangements etc.
Historic Royal Palaces
www.hrp.org.uk
The official website for the royal palaces of Hampton Court, Kew, Kensington, the Tower of London and the Banqueting House. Detailed information and guides.
For links to other websites, either on archaeology generally or specific to the periods and subjects raised in the programme, see our extensive section on Archaeology websites.
Glazed bricks were used to create a high-quality diamond pattern on Wayneflete Tower. By what name is this kind of brickwork known?
Diaper pattern
What was the main reason for the increased use of chimneys and enclosed fireplaces in Tudor buildings?
Increased smoke from burning coal
William Wayneflete was born William Patten but took his name from the town of Wainfleet. Where is Wainfleet?
Lincolnshire
Which college did William Wayneflete found at Oxford?
Magdalen
How many kings ruled in England during William Wayneflete's lifetime?
Eight
Who was on the throne in 1398, when William Wayneflete was born?
Richard II