Court of the Star Chamber

The Court of Star Chamber was a court of law which evolved from meetings of the king's royal council. Although its roots go back to the medieval period, the court only became powerful as a separate entity during the reign of Henry VII. In 1487 the court became a judicial body separate from the king's council, with a mandate to hear petitions of redress. The Court of Star Chamber was named for the star pattern painted on the ceiling of the room at Westminster Palace where its meetings were held. In a sense the court was a supervisory body.