- Solid crushed stone resin pieces.
- UK-made and intricately sculpted.
- Large 5.8 inch King.
- Unique and imposing design.
- Shimmering metallic finish.
- Felt-covered bases.
This awe-inspiring set is one of our most striking and impressive sets of chess pieces. It features imposing designs inspired by the Royal Beasts of Hampton Court Palace.
The original "King's Beasts" were carved over 400 years ago for King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace. Following this, many stone beasts decorated the walls of Hampton Court until King William III used them to fill in the palace's moat during his reign. In 1909 the moat was cleared and several of the beasts were recovered. Today, Queen Elizabeth II has her own set of ten beasts which adorn many regal crests and shields and Elizabeth's designs were largely inspired by Henry's originals.
The most iconic of the Royal Beasts are the basis of this unusual and richly detailed set of pieces and are coloured with a shining metallic finish.
The King: Lion of England
The Queen: Unicorn of England
The Bishop: White Lion of Mortimer & Black Bull of Clarence
The Knight: White Horse of Hanover & Yale of Beaufort
The Rook: Griffin of Edward III & Falcon of the Plantagenets
The Pawn: Greyhound of Richmond & Red Dragon of Wales
