The aim of the RSN is at all times to keep employees, tutors and students safe so please read this information thoroughly before you attend any Day Classes at Hampton Court Palace

Getting to Hampton Court

Parking is available in the Pay and Display Car Parks at Hampton Court Palace itself (£1.60/hour; enter via the main gate and immediately turn left) and at Hampton Court Railway Station (£6.80/day Mon-Sat; £2/day Sundays) which is opposite the Palace across the bridge. There is also a Pay and Display Car Park (Summer: £6/day; Winter: £1.50/hour) at The Green on the A308 Hampton Court Road (opposite the Esso Garage) which is about five minutes walk from the Palace main gate, and a further car park is available in Bushy Park. Please note that we cannot guarantee you will be able to park in the main Palace car park – if this car park is full you will need to park in another car park. Please note that the overflow car park at The Green closes at 18:45.

Accessibility parking: there are 9 disabled parking bays available on site in the main Car Park. Parking on site is free for Blue Badge holders.

Motorcycles can park in the designated M/C spaces in the main HCP car park. Standard parking rates apply. Free bicycle racks are located to the left of the palace entrance (near Reception) and in the Car Park (next to the Rose Garden).

ULEZ: From 29 August 2023, Hampton Court Palace and its car parks lie within the expanded London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) boundary. However, the entrances to both the Palace main car park and also The Green car park are outside both zones and the private roads and car parks within the grounds are not subject to any charges. Technically, the exit of the Palace main car park onto Hampton Court Road emerges into the last few metres of the charging zone although drivers turning immediately left out of the car park and proceeding to the roundabout will not be seen by the enforcement camera located further north along the road (i,e. towards Kingston) and so will not be charged if driving a non-compliant vehicle and provided they do NOT re-enter the zone. Vehicles arriving or leaving to the south via Hampton Court Bridge (A309) or those arriving or leaving via (and staying ONLY on) the A308 Hampton Court Road (i.e. from the direction of M3/J1) will be outside of the zone. Any vehicles arriving from, or leaving towards, Kingston upon Thames WILL enter the ULEZ zone, as will any vehicle using any roads which lie to the north of the A308. Non-compliant vehicles travelling on the A308 between the Palace and M3/J1 should STAY on the A308 to avoid entering the zone. For more details please visit the TFL website.

If you are coming by public transport, Hampton Court railway station, with services to and from Waterloo including Surbiton, Wimbledon and Clapham Junction, is a five minute walk over Hampton Court Bridge. For busses, the numbers 111 (Heathrow), 216 (Staines) and 411 (West Molesey) all service the Palace enroute to/from Kingston Upon Thames, whilst the R68 runs between Hampton Court station and Kew via Richmond and Twickenham.

Download PDF how to find us instructions here.

On arrival at Hampton Court

Please proceed to the main Palace gate (Trophy Gate) only. This is the large gate closest to Hampton Court Bridge. Access is currently not available via other gates. The main Palace car park will be open although many areas of HCP will be blocked off, such as The Wilderness. You will need to wear your pass at all times so please ensure that it is visible (If your pass has expired please contact The Education Team immediately for instructions as to what you should do to replace your pass or for the team to get you a dated day pass).

Access will be via the Security Office in Tennis Court Lane. From Trophy Gate, walk towards the main Palace building and then around the left-hand (north) side of the building until you see the vehicle security barrier. The entrance to the Security Office is next to the barrier.

There will be a member of staff to meet you at the Security Office at 9.45am to escort you to the classroom.

Please keep all bags under your table and out of the walkways.

Please bring with you a pair of embroidery scissors plus a notebook and pencil. We will supply hoops, lights and magnifiers. 

The Tutor will join you at 10 am, and at the start of the class will explain how the day will work in practice.

When exiting the apartments either for lunch or at the end of the day you will be directed by the tutor/class assistant.

Break Time

Refreshments will be provided in the morning.

Lunchtime

You may take your break in the tearoom or within the Palace gardens. Please bring a packed lunch and drink with you as there are only two sets of facilities, and there are likely to be lengthy queues at lunchtime  please remember to wear your pass at all times.

Access to toilets

There two upstairs toilets will be available, Additional toilet facilities are available in Fountain Court.

Staff

The RSN Education Team are not onsite at the weekend so please do not expect to see any on your visit, if you need to speak with or contact a member of the team please email [email protected] in the first instance.

Materials

Your kit will be ready for you in the classroom. Any additional equipment will be available to purchase or borrow from the RSN on the day. It is useful to bring a notepad and pen, a thimble if you use one and a pair of sharp, favoured embroidery scissors.

RSN Shop

The shop is located on the ground floor next to the East Front Gate and will be open. We do have a ‘click and collect’ pickup service option if you wish to order anything from the shop in advance and pick it up when you attend for your class. This option is available at the Online Shop checkout. Please note that five working days notice must be given to use the shop pickup service.

Photography

You may take photographs of your own work in progress, or of other students’ work with their permission. Photography of work on the walls or any RSN collection pieces is not permitted in any area of the RSN. From time to time we may wish to take photographs of your class and work in progress for publicity material to be used on-line and in print. If you would prefer not to be included in these photographs please let us know.

Cancellation Policy

Please refer to our Day Class Terms and Conditions page for our Day Class cancellation policy.

Accessibility

Hampton Court Palace dates back to the 14th Century. The main RSN classrooms are on the 3rd floor which can be accessed by the Chocolate Court Stairs in Fountain Court, whilst the other classroom has an additional six steps in order to access it. The palace is very old and the walk to our classrooms may have uneven surfaces, for example cobbles, worn steps, uneven steps and slopes. Please choose footwear that is comfortable and appropriate for the conditions. Some surfaces may be slippery, particularly if they are wet from rain. There is a lift available for acces from Fountain Court to the RSN apartments but access is prioritised for those with mobility issues.

Please email our Education Team if you have any specific access or other requirements so we can do our best to accommodate your needs.

Checklist BEFORE you leave the house

[  ]        HCP Pass – if you have one

[  ]        Embroidery Scissors

[  ]       Pen and paper

[  ]        Drink and Packed lunch for lunch time