Mono Monday 56 Ancient Buildings

I had a number of places in mind for today's MM challenge, as there are plenty of reasonably ancient buildings in and around Greater London! Time was against me - as always - and a visit to my first choice, Waltham Abbey wasn't going to happen.
I decided instead to pop over to Queen Elizabeth's Hunting Lodge, 5 minute's drive from me and placed on the edge of Epping Forest.
For those interested below is a brief history:

King Henry VIII commissioned the Hunting Lodge in 1542 and it was completed the following year.
It was originally called the Great Standynge (or Great Standing) – as it was the only standing in England to have three floors - and served as a platform from which spectators could view the hunt.
There is a legend that Queen Elizabeth I once rode her white horse up the staircase to celebrate the victory over the Spanish Armada, but there is no evidence that the Virgin Queen ever visited the hunting lodge in person.
It is more likely that nobles and visiting foreign dignitaries were granted a day’s hunting here as a Royal gift. The building was designed to provide a platform for entertainment and feasting.
The lodge would have looked very different in Tudor times. There were no windows; instead the upper storeys would have been open to the elements. On a hunt day, the lodge would have been draped with colourful flags and banners to demonstrate the status and wealth of its owner and there are remnants of brightly coloured paints on some of the walls.

Thank you toJoanneInOz for hosting this week's interesting and stimulating challenge to conclude her hosting during February!