Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1922-03-05
10! Ernest LAW.

LONDON. March i.--An intcrcstinr
restoration has just been carried out
at Hampton Court Palace, which will
not only add to its historic interest
but VIII also facilitate the movement
OF visitors through the statcrooms
at the palace. and add generally To
IT'S amenities. This is the rcopenin.
after having been closed for 1S7 years
OF the original doorway between
Henry Wills great Watching Chan,
Der and the gallery leading to the
chaHc!. commonly called Tho
Haunted Gallery"
Unfortunately the anci.n, STONE
archeh door, made by Henry VIII.
hal: Of which was discovered in the
course of the preparations for the
opening OF the gallery to the public
in 1917. was mutilntcd by Wren, who
substituted the tall. gauut oak =
framed door. which is altogether out
OF proportion to the height and size
Of the room.
"DrIRSinE House"
ON the right. close by. is seen tho
balustradc at the top Of the old stair
way. which leads down into the
cloister opening exactly opposite the
old drinking House" which re-
stuart times. AMI communicates d.
recuy with the vast ccllaragc under
the Watching Chamber. These facts
have this interest. that it would have
been through this doorway that
Shakespcarc's company. after their
rehcarSals. which took place in the
Watching Chamber. and their per-
iormanc"s, which were given in tn.
Great Hall. would have passed down
f,..- Il Il. ~
"Gvooms OF the Chamber" and the
Kings musicians and "RovelS Mem"
to 3artalSc Of their gallon and half
q; beer. allowed each OF the players
on days when they performed a;
court
ON tho stone janis "t an old WIN
dow are found certain names and
other Scrawlini.s ami incisiou.--as
on all the window and door jambs in
and near the gallery most Of them
in th. script OF tho late sixteenth and
how much the gallery was in use in
those days. one OF these mcis!ons.
undoubtcdly OF Jacobean times. bears
most remarkable resemblance e"
the word shakespeare" and has
been rather rashiy ella lined as being
signature OF tho great dramatist
Tn. resemblance. however. appears
to he only acCldcntal. oN lh' otHc!
side OF the gallery. at the farther
end. is door leading into tho PAGES
Chamber. which il just over tn"
Drinking House, and which was
doubtless placed nj tho disposal of
:hc actors when rchcdrsins their
plays.
On tho Way ia ScaToid.
In addition To it's associations with
Shakcspcarc's company. this old door
way has man. other historic links
with the Tudor and stuart periods.
II was through il that Prince Ed
ward VI. was carried from his MUIR
sery. on October -. 1897. three days
after his birth, along the gallery into
the Watching Chamber. through the
Great Hall. down into the Clock
Court. and so To the chapel, there
to he baptized. The procession was
very picturesque and stately. includ-
ing many scores Of high ccclcSiasticS
and great mobiles. the ambassadors
and their suites. ali the officers o.
State. and the whole royal house
hold. numbering altogether several
all carrying waven torches
sixteen days after the fuuera! pro
ccssion OF his mother. Jane Seymour
passed through the same doorway, in
the reverse direction. to the Chapel.
where the body lay in state for many
days. Three years later another