Palace Gate House boasts an intriguing link to Hampton Court Palace dating back to the 1500's.
By 1640 it was the official residence of Thomas Smithsby, the Under House Keeper of the Palace responsible for managing operations of the Palace in all its aspects. Smithsby lived at the house until he surrendered his office in 1656 to one of Cromwell's generals after the execution of Charles I. In the late 1600s Jasper English, a court official, gained the lease and upon his death in 1710 his son, Somersett English, was given permission to demolish and rebuild Palace Gate House. Much of the original timber frame of the house was retained and many old timbers were re-positioned in the new house, however by 1734 Somersett English applied to divide his house and was granted permission. The work involved creating a new entrance, replacing windows, creating a hallway and installing a suspended wooden floor. After the death of Somersett English Palace Gate House was leased to various tenants. In the mid 1800s Palace Gate House and the two adjacent buildings were re-amalgamated to lodge the Palace Police who had been recruited to cope with the demanding crowds following the opening of Hampton Court Palace by Queen Victoria to the public. By the turn of the century Palace Gate House was being used as part of a restaurant and tea room yet by the turn of this century the property was once again neglected.
In 2011 the current owners bought the freehold of Palace Gate House and spent a couple of years repairing the building and returning it back to a home. August 2017
