The 1542 Inventory of Whitehall Palace

The 1542 Inventory of Whitehall Palace lists over 4,000 items owned by King Henry VIII. It includes the earliest royal catalogue of paintings, and alphabetical list of Henry's books as well as tapestries, cloth, clothing, glassware and ceramics, maps, musical instruments and plate.

This rich assortment of objects was charged upon Sir Anthony Denny, the Palace Keeper, and was housed within the king's privy lodging at Whitehall. Denny was a member of the Privy Chamber, a follower of the reformed faith, and a confidant of the king. Hs role as the Keeper of Whitehall Palace is less well known, but there is a wealth of documentation, which allows the study of this aspect of his career in some depth. The first volume of this work examines in detail Denny's responsibilities and the development of Whitehall Palace into the first permanently furnished English royal residence.

In addition to the 1542 inventory (PRO E315/160), the second volume contains three further transcriptions: PRO E101/472/2 and BL Landsdowne Rolls 14 and 15. This group of four contemporary documents provides a unique glimpse into the way in which the Palace of Whitehall was furnished and managed in the 1540s and how Henry VIII's possessions were redistributed amongst his properties on his death.

These volumes act as a companion to the recent publication of the post-mortem 1547 Inventory of Henry VIII's possessions. To this end, a concordance between the 1542 and 1547 inventories is given, along with three further concordances and five appendices. A glossary and brief biographies of individuals mentioned are also included.

• Two volumes. Volume I: Commentary. 314pp + x, 15 b/w illustrations; Volume II: The Transcripts. 310pp + viii
• £160 hardback, Fellows' price £120. Published September 2004
• Available from Oxbow Books
  

Jacket illustration: engraving by Wenceslaus Hollar of the portrait of Sir Anthony Denny after a follower of Holbein. Private Collection.