Savoy Palace

Savoy Palace was a large noble residence between the Strand and the Thames riverbank in what is now City of Westminster. The complex included multiple living wings and reception halls that extended along the waterfront and were organized around inner courtyards.

Peter of Savoy received the site from Henry III in 1246 and built one of the finest palaces in London. In 1381, rebels stormed the building and burned it completely, deliberately avoiding looting during the destruction.

The name recalls Peter of Savoy, the nobleman who received the land as a gift from Henry III. After its destruction in the Peasants' Revolt, the designation Savoy remained attached to the area and still marks street names and institutions nearby.

Today, only street names and archaeological traces beneath modern buildings mark the location of the former palace. Visitors exploring the area will find hints of the earlier structure along the north side of the Thames between Waterloo Bridge and Charing Cross.

During the destruction, rebels deliberately threw treasures and valuables into the Thames to show that their anger was politically motivated. Chaucer worked here as an administrative clerk and used daily encounters with nobles and travelers as inspiration for his literary characters.