The Berkeley Chess Royal Beasts Russet and Palisander Grand Chess Set

• Beautifully crafted in the UK.
• Unique and imposing design.
• Large 5.8 inch King.
• Solid crushed stone resin pieces.
• Rich russet and cream colouring.
• Deluxe Spanish Palisander and Maple Board.

This unique and imposing chess set features designs inspired by the Royal Beasts of Hampton Court Palace, lovingly crafted in the UK from heavy stone resin. The pieces are complimented by a stunning 23.6 Inch Montgoy Palisander and Maple Deluxe Chess Board.

The Royal Beasts or ‘King’s Beasts’ were created over 400 years ago for King Henry VIII at the legendary Hampton Court Palace in Richmond-On-Thames. Henry had numerous beasts adorning the palace and King William III later used them as ballast when he had the moat filled during his reign. The moat was cleared in 1909 and many of these fascinating sculptures were recovered. Today, the Queen has her own ten beasts based on Henry’s originals, and they can be seen supporting shields and crests on everything from textiles to gateposts.

The main characters of these truly iconic beasts have been incorporated into the two opposing sides of this impressive set.

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.