High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! Richmond Palace was a Thameside royal residence on the right (south, or Surrey) bank of the river, upstream of the Palace of Westminster, to which it lay 9 miles (14 km) SW of as the crow flies. It was erected c. 1501 within the royal manor of Sheen, by Henry VII of England, formerly known by his title Earl of Richmond, after which it was named. It was occupied by royalty until 1649.