Royal Beasts Chess Pieces by Berkeley - Cardinal Red

Board Not Included There are ten heraldic beasts that form part of the rich history of Hampton Court Palace. They were restored at the beginning of the twentieth century but were derived from originals made more than 400 years ago for Henry VIII and are generally called ‘the King’s Beasts’. King Henry VIII had numerous beasts decorating Hampton Court where the Queen’s own beasts now reside. When William III had the moat filled in during his reign of 1689 to 1702, he used the parapets of the bridge and the attending beasts as fill. In 1909 the moat was cleared and many of the beasts were recovered. The Queen’s ten were modeled after these creatures. One of the responsibilities of the beasts is to support various shields which themselves have symbols known as badges. These are like today’s logos. They identified those who worked for the royal family and were used to decorate ancient households on everything from textiles to gateposts. The Royal Lion of England is a crowned beast. As the