The Berkeley Chess Royal Beasts Black Cardinal Grand Chess Set

• UK-made and intricately sculpted.
• Unique and imposing design.
• Large 5.8 inch King.
• Solid crushed stone resin pieces.
• Rich red and cream coloured finish.
• Paired with a glossy Anegre & Maple Luxury Board.

Paired with a beautiful Gloss Black Anegre & Maple Spanish Chess Board, these fantastic resin pieces make a stunning set that is sure to take pride of place in any home. With designs created in the UK by the master craftsmen at Berkeley Chess, this set is inspired by the Royal Beasts of Hampton Court Palace.

Originally carved for Henry VIII over 400 years ago, the ‘King’s Beasts’ decorated the walls of Hampton Court in Richmond-On-Thames. Later, King William III used them to fill the palace moat during his reign. Many of the King’s Beasts were rescued in 1909 when the moat was cleared. The Queen’s own set of ten beasts are inspired by Henry’s originals, and it is the responsibility of these beasts to identify those who work for the Royal Family and to adorn their shields, crests, textiles, badges and more.

This imposing and impressive set of pieces features designs based on the most iconic and famous of the Royal Beasts, and are coloured with a rich red and cream finish.

The King: Lion of England
The Queen: Unicorn of England
The Bishop: White Lion of Mortimer & Black Bull of Clarence
The Knight: White Horse of Hanover & Yale of Beaufort
The Rook: Griffin of Edward III & Falcon of the Plantagenets
The Pawn: Greyhound of Richmond & Red Dragon of Wales

The chess board in this set has been expertly crafted by Rechapados Ferrer in Spain using precision laser cutting techniques and stunning wooden veneers combined with expert lacquering and finishing. The underside of the board is finished in a satin veneer that is a different colour from the playing surface of the board. The veneers used for the underside may vary in colour from batch to batch.