Henry the VIII's Wine Cellar

February 2, 2013 8:08 AM

Who knew that Henry the VIII's wine cellar was preserved inside the Ministry of Defense building?

More on the cellar here.

posted by zzazazz (15 comments total)

If your wine bar is not worth defending, what is?
posted by jonp72 at 8:50 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]

Ministry of Defense

Defence, dear boy, defence. Correctly spelled with a "c"...... ;-)
posted by MajorDundee at 8:59 AM on February 2 [7 favorites]

Sadly, it's empty.
posted by notyou at 9:03 AM on February 2

Thanks! Totally fascinating post, especially the encasing-and-moving process. I love how the MoD officer "was quite keen to see the wine cellar himself, having regularly passed signage for it on his way to the gym."
posted by FelliniBlank at 9:06 AM on February 2 [4 favorites]

I love surprises.
posted by double bubble at 9:10 AM on February 2

That's funny. I went back and looked at the article and it is spelled with a "c." My eye danced right over it.
posted by zzazazz at 9:11 AM on February 2

Wow!
posted by anadem at 9:15 AM on February 2

Defence, dear boy, defence. Correctly spelled with a "c"...

Around here we prefer D-FENS.

Sadly, it's empty.

Perhaps Hardy Rodenstock could find something to fill those barrels up with.

That's really pretty interesting. I always find it fascinating how Europe is full of little historical gems that were around before my country (the US) was even thought of.
posted by TedW at 9:18 AM on February 2

That is way cool.
posted by LobsterMitten at 9:19 AM on February 2

I like these last lines:

And thus this last fragment of Henry VIII’s splendid palace lies, preserved by burial, alongside hidden bunkers that anticipate nuclear apocalypse, and, of course, the Ministry of Defense gym.
posted by angrycat at 9:33 AM on February 2 [3 favorites]

I am disappointed. It's not much of a wine cellar without wine in it. Henry didn't leave any stock for the future?
posted by charlie don't surf at 10:49 AM on February 2

Bring Up the Bordeaux
posted by yoink at 11:05 AM on February 2 [2 favorites]

Wonderful, the exertions made to preserve the cellar.
posted by Atreides at 1:28 PM on February 2

Love this, thanks for posting it. And I am now throughly enamoured of the Edible Geography site as well.
posted by desuetude at 11:32 AM on February 3

I always find it fascinating how Europe is full of little historical gems that were around before my country (the US) was even thought of.

Don't sell America short! There are plenty of places in the US that were historically significant before Aethelstan unified England.
posted by The 10th Regiment of Foot at 6:14 AM on February 4