Visiting Coombe Conduit – the tunnel that kept Hampton Court supplied with fresh water

Nearly 500 years ago, King Henry VIII wanted a reliable supply of fresh water for Hampton Court Palace. His solution was to commission several miles of pipes to carry spring water from the nearby hills directly to the royal table.
Today, the largest surviving building from that Tudor water supply system occasionally opens to the public.About a 20-minute walk from New Malden station, you might spot an open gate in a fence, helpfully labelled. Step through and, at first, there doesn’t seem t