St George's Fields - Property of The Crown

Property of The Crown

Henry VIII took an interest in Suffolk Place and acquired it from Charles in 1536. Shortly after, in June 1536, the St Saviour’s Abbey of Bermondsey was induced to 'grant' its land to the king, part of the Dissolution process, hence he now owned all of the Abbey’s manor west of the high street. However, Henry VIII gave this building to Queen Jane Seymour in 1537, mother of Edward VI, who died of post-natal complications shortly after his birth. It seems it was Henry's intention to create a new hunting park out of the two areas and the Brandon mansion was to act as its lodge. In any case Henry seems to have lost interest in the project before his death in 1547.