The Royal Palace of Woodstock near Oxford was supposedly built on the site of a Saxon manor. At the meeting point of five large forests, the Palace was ideally situated for hunting and Henry I built a hunting lodge there. Henry II used the grounds of the Royal Palace to hold a menagerie of animals including lions, leopards and camels. Woodstock is noted for the love affair between Henry II and Rosamond Clifford. Rosamond was Henry's mistress from around 1166 to 1176. She may have murdered by the King's wife when she found out about the affair, but this story may be untrue. The Palace was used for much of the Medieval period by the Kings of England, but its use fell into decline when London became more important as the centre of Royalty.
The council held at the Royal Palace of Woodstock near Oxford was the scene for a clash between Henry II and Thomas Becket over the control of payments to Sheriffs. Becket opposed the plan and was going to oppose more of Henry's reforms in the near future.1
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