Kennington’s connections with royalty have been long established but it was in 1337 that it forever became linked with that of the Prince of Wales. This was when King Edward III gave the area to his son Edward (later to be called the Black Prince) when he created the Duchy of Cornwall. The idea was to provide the heir apparent with an independent source of income to cover his public and private expenses (See Inside the Duchy of Cornwall on Netflix).
Introduction
For 200 year’s Kennington Palace stood on the area next to St Anselm’s Church within the triangle of land bounded by Kennington Lane, Cardigan Street and Sancroft Street. Nothing above surface remains to this today, except for a memorial plaque on the side of Edinburgh House on Kennington Lane.
Kennington Palace
Unattributed engraving, possibly late-Victorian, ‘an idealised view’ of the ‘ancient royal palace at Kennington,
Kennington was acquired by Edward of Woodstock, later known as the Black Prince in 1337 when he became Duke of Cornwall.
Not much is known about the pre-1337 building at Kennington, and the first documentary evidence associated with the building dates to 1304. He rebuilt the already standing manor between 1346-1362 and replaced it with a new palace. Information on and descriptions of the building and the works carried out are documented in the Black Prince’s register. For example, it describes the completion of the hall on Vaults in 1358 and further refurbishing of older buildings in 1359. The palace included service rooms, a large number of chambers, a bakehouse, chapels, stables and gardens. Documents from the late 14th century and 15th century indicate that only minor work was carried out on the palace.
Kennington was a favourite residence of The Black Prince’s son King Richard II and accounts exist of lavish entertainments held there. Although a favourite residence of the Lancastrian kings, it fell out of favour under the Tudors, and in 1531, King Henry VIII ordered much of Kennington Palace to be dismantled and carried across the Thames to Westminster for the building of a new royal palace, Whitehall, (also long gone). The track along which the Kennington Palace timber, masonry and brick and stone masonry were carted to the river was renamed ‘Black Prince Road’ in 1939.
What Remains: Excavation of the Site
The main parts of the building, including the Hall, Great Chamber, Kitchen and Stables were excavated between 1965-8.
From the period of the existence of the palace, c.1340 – 1531, parts of six buildings belonging to the palace built by the Black Prince were found. The most important was the Hall which was about 82ft. by 50ft. It was built completely of stone, probably chalk-faced with greensand and with window and door mouldings, many of which were found, also in greensand. (London Archaeologist, 1968)
Edward Plantagenet (1330 – 1376) The Black Prince
Although Edward never became king – he died before his father, Edward III – he is remembered as a great medieval military hero, with notable victories against the French in the Hundred Years War.
Edward was born on 15 June 1330 at Woodstock Palace in Oxfordshire, the eldest son of Edward III. He was created Prince of Wales on 12 May 1343, aged twelve, at Westminster and was also created Earl of Chester and Duke of Cornwall, making him the first English Duke. When he was only 15-years-old he was knighted by his father and became the first Knight of the Garter.
Edward was renowned in his own lifetime as one the greatest knights of his age, a model of chivalry and one of the outstanding commanders of the Hundred Years War. At the battle of Crécy (1346), aged just 16, Edward was in the forefront of the fighting and provided charismatic leadership, while his father commanded his men from the height of a nearby windmill. Towards the end of the battle, the blind king John of Bohemia defiantly charged towards the melée bound to his knights by ropes, and the whole group were killed. Edward was so impressed by this that he adopted John’s badge and motto, an ostrich feather and the words Ich Dien, which is probably the origin of the Prince of Wales’ feathers and motto.
Edward at the end of the Battle of Crécy 
The Shield of Peace
In 1355, he was appointed his father’s lieutenant in Gascony and the following year led another significant victory against the French at Poitiers, taking the French king prisoner.
In 1362, Edward married Joan of Kent and was created Prince of Aquitaine and Gascony by his father. Edward and his wife went to live in his new French domains. In 1367, Edward led an expedition to Spain, to restore the deposed King Pedro of Castile, and proved himself again with victory at the Battle of Najera in northern Castile. Edward returned to Aquitaine, where he made himself unpopular with the nobility by levying taxes to pay for his Spanish expedition. They rose in revolt against him and in 1370 Edward besieged the city of Limoges. When it fell, 3,000 of its inhabitants were massacred. A year later, Edward returned to England.
Edward died aged 45 on 8 June 1376, probably from an illness contracted in Spain, and was buried in great splendour in Canterbury Cathedral. His young son, Richard, succeeded Edward III a year later.
Why is he called the Black Prince
During his lifetime he was known as Edward of Woodstock. The title of Black Prince developed after his death and may refer to the black armour that he wore.
The origin of the term is just as obscure as the date it was first used. It may stem from Edward’s habit, when jousting, of putting aside his royal coat of arms in favour of a black ‘shield for peace’ decorated with three white ostrich feathers.
Some historians believe he also wore black armour, while others have suggested that the name may have been derived from the French habit of referring to a particularly brutal commander as a ‘black boar’. The honest answer is no one knows.
Heraldic Achievements
At the time of the death of the Black Prince, some of his arms and armour were hung above his tomb in Canterbury Cathedral, near to shrine of Thomas A’Beckett.
The practice of setting up arms and armour as ‘achievements’, carried in the funeral procession and then hung above the owner’s tomb, became common from the Middle Ages. His helmet, gauntlets, quilted surcoat, shield, and scabbard are still displayed at the cathedral. Although today, replicas hang directly above the tomb, while the faded originals are kept safely behind glass.
His surcoat, which is made of velvet, stuffed with wool and lined with satin, bears the same arms as the shield. It laces up at the front with eyelets and originally had long sleeves, although the sleeves currently reach only to the elbow.
The decayed scabbard and belt are without its sword, legend states that the original sword was taken by Oliver Cromwell, in the seventeenth century. The gauntlets are made of copper gilt and are lined with soft doeskin.
The Black Prince’s shield, which is made of poplar wood, is still covered with layers of canvas, gesso, parchment, and leather. The front is decorated with the leopards of England and fleurs de Lys of France, adopted by his father, King Edward III when he lay claim to the French throne.
The huge iron helmet is cylindrical with a flat top, eye holes and breathing holes. It is surmounted by a crest, which consists of a lion standing on a cap of maintenance, both made from leather. The hat is lined with red velvet.
The Black Prince Ruby
The Black Prince’s Ruby, which now forms part of the crown jewels, was presented to Edward, the Black Prince by Pedro the Cruel of Castile, in reward for Edward’s putting down the revolt of Pedro’s illegitimate brother, Henry of Trastamara.
During his French campaigns, King Henry V wore a gem-encrusted helmet that included the ruby, which was worn at the Battle of Agincourt on October 25, 1415. Richard III is reported to also have worn the Black Prince’s Ruby in his helmet at the Battle of Bosworth Field in 1485. James, I had the Black Prince’s Ruby set into the state crown near the beginning of the seventeenth century. During the Interregnum, it was sold by Oliver Cromwell. The Black Prince’s Ruby was purchased by a British jeweller who sold it back to Charles II when the monarchy was restored in 1660. It is currently set in the cross pattée above the Cullinan II Diamond in front of the Imperial State Crown.
As seen at the movies
The Dark Avenger 1955
The Dark Avenger is a 1955 British-American historical adventure film directed by Henry Levin. The film stars Errol Flynn, Joanne Dru and Peter Finch. It is also known as The Warriors in the United States and had a working title of The Black Prince in the United Kingdom.
The Dark Avenger follows the adventures of Edward the Black Prince, son of King Edward III and heir to the throne of England, as he tries to liberate the people of Aquitaine from the cruel grasp of France during the Hundred Years’ War. It was the last historical action film Errol Flynn would ever make.
A Knights Tale 2001
A Knight’s Tale is a 2001 American quasi-medieval adventure comedy-romance film. Starring Heath Ledger featuring a rock soundtrack.
Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Laura Fraser, Paul Bettany and James Purefoy
Further Information
https://monarchy-of-britain.fandom.com/wiki/Edward_the_Black_Prince
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