The Banqueting House, Whitehall

Georgian Londoners believed this building to be one of the most "correct and elegant" in England. The Banqueting House was only a small part of James I's, and then his son Charles I's, ambitious plans to rebuild the crumbling palace of Whitehall. Due to the civil war, and the loss of Charles I's head (on a platform outside one of the windows of the Banqueting House) the rebuilding scheme was never completed. During the Georgian period the Banqueting House was converted into a chapel. On 18th May 1811 the eagles, colours and other trophies obtained from the French during the recent wars were deposited within the chapel. In January 1816 the eagles won from Napoleon during the battle of Waterloo were added to the collection.