 He was an avid gambler and dice player , and excelled at sports , especially jousting , hunting , and real tennis . He was known for his strong defence of conventional Christian piety . The King was involved in the original construction and improvement of several significant buildings , including Nonsuch Palace , King 's College Chapel , Cambridge and Westminster Abbey in London . Many of the existing buildings Henry improved were properties confiscated from Wolsey , such as Christ Church , Oxford ; Hampton Court Palace ; the Palace of Whitehall ; and Trinity College , Cambridge . 
