The More

The More is a former manor house and palace in Batchworth, England, now a scheduled archaeological monument buried beneath a private school site. The remains include brick foundations, traces of timber galleries, and floor plans of large halls spread across a wide estate at the edge of the Colne flood plain.

Cardinal Wolsey owned the estate before it passed to Henry VIII in 1531 and later became a residence for Catherine of Aragon after her marriage was annulled. The building was abandoned and demolished in 1661 after serving as a royal residence for over a century.

The name refers to marshland or moorland and points to the location near a flood plain. Visitors today see only the archaeological site on school grounds, where once lavish rooms and galleries stood.

The site lies beneath imported topsoil on Merchant Taylors' Prep School grounds and is not open to the public. Archaeological excavations took place between 1952 and 1955 and documented the floor plans and foundations of the former palace.

French ambassador Jean du Bellay declared in 1527 that the palace was superior to Hampton Court, highlighting the importance of the estate at that time. Inventory lists from 1547 recorded 157 items, including tapestries bearing Wolsey's coat of arms and chairs marked with Anne Boleyn's initials.

Location: Batchworth

GPS coordinates: 51.63430,-0.43936

Latest update: December 5, 2025 22:29