Henry VIII loved the world of knights and jousting. He also liked to build his palaces so that they recreated these images of chivalry. The last palace he built before he died was Nonsuch Palace in Surrey, begun in 1538.

Sadly Nonsuch has been demolished, but there are several sketches surviving which show us what it once looked like.

The drawing on the right gives a good example of Henry's love of chivalry. Look at the enormous octagonal towers at either side, with extravagant pinnacles on the roofs and the extremely detailed decoration on the walls. Doesn't it look like King Arthur's Camelot?

Henry wanted people to think just that - that he had recreated Camelot!

The king wanted people to be astonished at his new palace, and to say that they had never seen such a fine palace before.

Hence its name - 'Nonsuch'!