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A house in Teddington fit for a cardinal, where Henry VIII’s right-hand man Thomas Wolsey lived with his mistress

James Fisher James Fisher

Wolsey's Cottage is named after Henry VIII's Lord Chancellor. It's bursting with period features and has plenty of stories to tell.

It’s been a long wait for those of us who are fans of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall trilogy, especially those of us who watch it on TV. Thankfully, the second season began on Sunday, allowing me once again to wonder how I would have dealt with the ridiculous whims of Henry VIII. I feel like I would not have done well, but you never know. 

I probably would not have done as well as Thomas Wolsey, who rose up to the position of Lord Chancellor — as well as becoming a Roman Catholic cardinal, in the last few years before the split from Rome — before eventually being demoted due to the aforementioned volatility of the monarch. He was clearly a man of taste: Hampton Court Palace is extremely special, as is this cottage in Teddington, in which he lived with his mistress, which is now for sale with Savills.

Named, unsurprisingly, Wolsey’s Cottage, this six-bedroom home in Teddington is available for £2.85 million. The cardinal stayed here with his mistress while overseeing the construction of Hampton Court, and there is even a suggestion that a secret tunnel connects the two properties, which I suppose would be useful if you would like to visit without paying the entrance fee.

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It’s certainly a house fit for a cardinal. Spanning more than 4,500sq ft and set over three floors, it offers a more than generous and well-proportioned living space, as well as a sizable garden.

As fireplaces go, pretty good.

Inside, period features abound, from intricate mouldings to original panelling. The highlight is surely the fireplace in the south room on the ground floor, with its remarkable Tudor/Renaissance fireplace with fine carved-stone chimneypiece and oak overmantel (so fine, it has its own entry in Historic Monuments of England).

All in all, it’s a house of great charm and character that would make an exceptional family home in one of the more desirable parts of London, blending urban ease with the joys of rural living. 

There is also a small separate studio, measuring about 353 sq ft, which can be used as an artist’s studio, home office or as a guest suite.

Wolsey’s Cottage is for sale with Savills for £2.85 million. For more information and pictures, click here.