Banqueting House

Built by Inigo Jones for James I from 1619, Banqueting House was the only major part of Whitehall palace to survive a devastating fire in 1698. Jones's work was considered to be his masterpiece.

This is not the original banqueting house at Whitehall - that honour went a wooden structure built in 1581 by direction of Elizabeth I. That early structure was used as a kind of multi-function chamber for royal receptions and dining. During the reign of James I it was also put to use for court masques, a form of theatre, which was then popular.

A subsequent Banqueting House burned down in 1619, providing an opportunity for Inigo Jones, then Surveyor of the Kings Works, a chance to undertake one of his first major architectural projects.

This he did in some style. He abandoned the precedents of English Gothic and Tudor tradition in favour of an Italian-influenced design incorporating classical elements; Composite orders topping Ionic in tradition Roman classical style.

Originally the facade used a mix of Portland stone, and Oxfordshire and Northampton stone for the ashlarwork. This latter was prone to crumbling, and was replaced by Portland stone in the 19th century, a fact which gives the exterior more uniformity than Jones's original design.

The Banqueting House is essentially a huge hall, like a basilica, with heavy walls supporting a chamber of double-cube proportions (think of it as two exactly equal cubical spaces joined together).

The interior is devoid of extraneous decoration, save for timber galleries which must have been ornamental only, forcing spectators to view performances from floor level. But then, Banqueting House was not built with pure functionality in mind, rather it was a statement of grandeur and prestige for James I. The first court masque at Banqueting house was performed on Twelfth Night, 1622.

The wonderful painted ceiling was added by by order of Charles I in 1636. Charles employed Peter Paul Rubens to create the ceiling as a memorial to his father James. The addition of the ceiling panels signaled the end of court masques at Banqueting House, as Charles considered the panels too delicate to risk. He did not have long to enjoy his creation, however, and in 1649 Charles was beheaded in front of Banqueting House, stepping to his execution through the large first floor windows to the scaffold.

Various later schemes by Sir Christopher Wren and John Webb to renovate Whitehall around the Banqueting House came to nothing, and in 1698 Whitehall burned to the ground. Wren transformed Banqueting House into a Chapel Royal, In the early 19th century James Wyatt added a staircase at the north end of the building, and for many years it served as the museum of the Royal United Service Institution. Minor renovation and restoration projects since have altered the original building little.

Banqueting House often hosts lunchtime concerts (details from the official website below)

Location and contact information
The Banqueting House
Whitehall
London
SW1A 2ER
England
Location map
Tel +44 (0)870 751 5178
Charing Cross, Embankment, Westminster
website