Lambeth Palace is the official residence of the archbishop of Canterbury, the spiritual leader of the Church of England. It is in Lambeth, in southeast London. The palace was originally known as Lambeth House and begun in 1262. Today, it is composed of a collection of buildings largely of medieval character. The north cloisters and the crypt are its oldest parts. The Lollards’ Tower dates from 1450, and the North Gate from the 1490’s. The hall, rebuilt after the rule of Oliver Cromwell in the 1600’s, houses a library founded at that time by the archbishop of Canterbury, Richard Bancroft. The palace is normally closed to the public.
