Felbridge & District History Group

Garden Designers, Horticulturalists and Plants-men of Felbridge, Part 1
The Horticultural Legacy of the Evelyn and Gatty families

Felbridge has had its fair share of horticulturalists, gardeners, plants-menand eminent garden designers who have left their legacy, not only in the local area but also further afield and in the world of horticulture.  Initially Felbridge, as a gentleman’s estate, was embellished according the ideas of John Evelyn and his use of trees as planted by members of the Evelyn family in and around their estate of FelbridgePark.  In 1855, when the estate of Felbridge was purchased by the Gatty family, they too embarked upon the planting and re-planting of trees using local plants-men and nurserymen to supply their needs.  In 1911, the Felbridge estate was put up for public auction, this break-up and sale provided an opportunity for private individuals to purchase sections of the former estate, thus fruit growing became one of the predominant uses of the newly purchased lands.  By 1920, horticultural businesses like the Felbridge Fruit Farm, based at Hedgecourt Farm, Hogger’s Nursery on the Copthorne Road, Felbridge Nurseries on Crawley Down Road and the Women’s Farm and Garden Association (formerly the Women’s Farm and Garden Union) in the Wiremill area, had been established, along with several market gardens, perhaps the best known run by the Poupart family who still have connections with Covent Garden Market to this day.  It is also known that several garden designers have either lived in the Felbridge area or been employed to create designs for a number of gardens of Felbridge. 

This handout, the first in the series, will cover the horticultural legacy and creation of a ‘Park’ in the 18^th century by the Evelyn family of Felbridge House and its continued expansion by the Gatty family after their purchase of the estate in 1855.  The Gatty legacy is supplemented by accounts made by George Gatty on a whole range of horticultural notes from the fruit trees he had planted to the rose garden he created.  Also, from George Gatty’s notes, it has been possible to determine the suppliers of many of the plants used for the replanting of the Felbridge estate and the gardeners employed to realise the horticultural ideas in the creation of the Pleasure Grounds of Felbridge Place by its sale in 1911.  Finally, the handout will highlight the horticultural legacy left by both the Evelyn and Gatty families that can still be seen in Felbridge to this day.

 

The Horticultural Legacy of the Evelyn family of Felbridge

In 1588, George Evelyn of Nutfield (grandfather of John Evelyn the 17^th century diarist and author of Sylva: Or a Discourse of Forest Trees & the Propagation of Timber) purchased ‘thirty acres adjoining Felbridge Water’ and ‘forty acres known as the fields of Star Barn’.  By 1671, the property had passed to his great-grandson, also called George, who in 1692, settled ‘All that messuage called Heathhatch and 60 acres of land lying in the said parish of Godstone and Tandridge and another messuage and 7 acres of land in the parish of Godstone and 2 crofts adjoining and half acre of ground and also an acre and a half of ground and a moiety of a messuage and all the Gardens and Orchards belonging thereto and two cottages and also a Common called Felbridge Heath Common all of which last premises are situate in the said parish of Godstone’ on his youngest son William, who in turn sold the holding to his brother Edward in 1719 [for further information see Handouts, Felbridge Place, SJC 10/99, The Commonplace Book of Edward Evelyn, SJC/JIC 09/07 and Evelyn Family of Felbridge, JIC/SJC 09/13].  At the time of sale, Edward was looking for a permanent residence, somewhere to settle with his family, having just resigned his commission in the army.  In 1741, Edward added to his estate with the purchase of Park Corner, which included a messuage, together with 130 acres of land, being part of the manor of Hedgecourt.  These two purchases were the catalyst for the creation of the FelbridgePark, which was extended in 1747 with the purchase of the remainder of the manor of Hedgecourt creating an estate that extended to just short of 1,537 acres.  

Having set the scene on how the Evelyn family acquired much of Felbridge we can now turn our attention to the horticultural legacy they left behind.  One very visible legacy, probably under the direction of William Evelyn, are the two rows of Sweet Chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) [also known as Spanish Chestnut] planted in a ‘V’ shape along what is now Crawley Down Road and the old route of Hedgecourt Road (now situated in the woodland behind the Felbridge Village Hall) [see no. 1 on Fig 3].  The point of this ‘V’ once terminated at the entrance of the Evelyn’s FelbridgePark, with 52 trees planted along each side of the ‘V’.  Local tradition has it that the trees were planted to celebrate the restoration of the Protestant monarchy, believed to have been 1660, when Charles II returned to the throne.  However, a survey of girth measurements and two independent tree ring counts concluded that they were no older than the early 1700’s.  Based on the tree ring counts, it would suggest that the trees were planted to celebrate the return of the Protestant monarchy with the accession of George I in 1714. 

With the heritage and deep knowledge of trees originating from John Evelyn, it seems likely that Sweet Chestnuts were chosen and planted using his literary guidance set out in his book Sylva: Or the Discourse on Forest Trees and the Propagation of Timber, published in 1664, or knowledge passed down through descending generations of the Evelyn family.  John Evelyn had a great interest in gardening and horticulture, in particular – trees.  In 1640, he had travelled to Holland and over the next five years made his way slowly across Europe and with the out-break of the English Civil War, he made a temporary home in Paris, returning to Britain in 1652.  Ten years later John Evelyn presented a paper to the Royal Society called Sylva: Or the Discourse on Forest Trees and the Propagation of Timber, which in 1664, was published in two volumes and remains one of the most influential writings on trees and forestry to this day.

Sylva came at just the right time in Britain and seemed to awaken in John Evelyn’s generation, and succeeding generations, a new appreciation of the beauty and value of trees.  At the time of writing, the social fabric of England had been torn to apart as a consequence of the Civil War.  John Evelyn noted in his diaries that many estates had been destroyed with the loss of numerous woods and no-one was replanting them, so Sylva was a rallying cry to repopulate the English landscape with the most beautiful natural adornments, trees.  As well as replanting the lost woods, John Evelyn also recommended the planting of the ‘avenue’ and is attributed as being the first to use the word, defined in Sylva as ‘the principal walk to the front of the house’, referring to the Sweet Chestnut as being ‘now all the mode for the avenues to their countrey palaces in France’ and that when planted in ‘avenues to our country-houses, they are a magnificent and royal ornament’.  The effect of the publication of Sylva was momentous and established tree planting as a ‘gentlemanly pursuit’, not just a rustic task for subservients, and was the starting point for what became known as the ‘English Landscape Style’ of gardens in the 18^th century, as expressed by Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and his self-proclaimed successor Humphry Repton. 

Alongside the ‘designed landscape’, many of the gardens of the 18^th century included influences and features inspired by the ‘European Grand Tour’, which by the Georgian period had become a popular pursuit for the wealthy.  These features and influences were also the same as seen by John Evelyn during his enforced stay in Europe during the English Civil War and by Edward Evelyn during his escape from imprisonment during the Wars of Spanish Succession and his journey through Europe back to England [for further information see Handout, The Commonplace Book of Edward Evelyn, SJC/JIC 09/07].  Thus lakes, grottos, temples, shrubberies and tree-lined avenues/walks also joined the planting of trees in 18^th century gardens.  Parks and gardens merged into one, with circuit walks around the landscaped park.  Formal gardens disappeared and walled kitchen gardens were sited out of view or screened by what was then the latest craze, the shrubbery.  However, for the purposes of this document, attentions will be limited to the ‘Park’ created in the immediate vicinity of Edward Evelyn’s dwelling called Felbridge House.

Having amalgamated the manor of Hedgecourt with his lands and house in Felbridge (centred on the site of what is today WhittingtonCollege and its grounds), Edward Evelyn had a map of his newly formed estate drawn by cartographer John Bourd in 1748.  Evidence for the creation of a landscaped Park and Grounds around the Evelyn’s dwelling house at Felbridge can be found when closely studying the Bourd map, which shows that the boundaries between the farm at Park Corner, purchased in 1741 by Edward Evelyn (for further information see Handout, Park Corner Farm, SJC 05/09) and the original 70-acre holding of Felbridge, begin to change after 1747.  These changes are clearly discernable on the Bourd map, which shows the remnants of lines that have been erased (scraped off the velum), whilst others have been heavily inked and there is a line of sparsely spaced trees on the line of the old park pale of Hedgecourt.  In 1747, the farm at Park Corner extended from the southern end of Mill Lane to the main London road, just north of WhittingtonCollege, following the old boundary of HedgecourtPark on the south [see Fig 1].  However, after the incorporation of a large section of the farm at Park Corner as parkland for Felbridge House, and based on the ‘removed’ lines found on the Bourd map, the new boundary of the Park and Grounds surrounding Felbridge House can be ascertained [see Fig 2].  Another indication that the land immediately surrounding the dwelling house had been ‘landscaped’ is the fact that there is no sign of the park pale of Hedgecourt which should have travelled across what is termed ‘Lawn’ on the Bourd map, to the north of the house.   This newly landscaped area amounted to just short of 76¼ acres, together with a 4 acre wood on the southern boundary.

 

(illustrated version only)
Fig 1. Park Corner Farm (blue) and FelbridgePark (green) 1652-1748 (overlaid on 1873 OS)

 (illustrated version only)
Fig 2. Reconfiguration of boundaries between Park Corner Farm and Felbridge Park
as depicted on the Bourd Map of 1748 (overlaid on 1873 OS)

The following numbers and letters in brackets refer to features indicated on Figure 3 (below).  The Bourd map clearly shows the two rows of the afore mentioned Sweet Chestnut trees (1), along with several other rows and avenues of trees (2-8), remnants of some still visible today, and several clumps or copse of trees.  The line of trees at (2), situated to the east of what is now the Crawley Down Road, no longer stands and there is no information as to what species they were.  The avenue of trees at (3) equates to two rows of trees, the southern line of trees bounding the northern side of what is now known as Copthorne Road and the northern line of trees being the current building line of the dwellings.  These two rows may have been of Oak trees (Quercus robur) as there are several still standing on the southern line of the trees; unfortunately the northern line of trees has been obliterated by the early 20^th century dwellings along the northern side of Copthorne Road.  The trees at (4) equate to the avenue planted either side of the approach to main dwelling house.  This avenue headed north and then diagonally northeast on the line of the old park pale of Hedgecourt, heading to the front of Felbridge House.  Today three misshapen Lime trees (Tilia x valgaris) [also known as Linden trees] can be found on this line, suggesting that it may have been an avenue of Lime trees.  The line of trees at (5) marks the southern boundary of the Grounds surrounding the dwelling house (now the northern side of the Copthorne Road).  This line of trees may have been Oak or a mixture of Oak and Beech (Fagus) as there is still a substantial line of both species of trees on this line today, although there is some evidence that this line may have been re-planted at a later date.  The avenue of trees at (6), heading north from the Star Inn, fell within the eastern boundary of the Grounds surrounding Felbridge House.  Today there is one substantial Beech tree on the west side of the London Road just north of the Premier Inn that could have been planted by the Evelyn family.  The row of trees at (7) equates to an avenue of trees that seems to have been lost, although there are several Oak, Beech and Horse Chestnut trees (Aesculus hippocastanum) along the line of this former avenue.  However other interpretations for avenues (6) and (7) are that they may have been a double avenue of trees either side of the main London Road where the road passed the eastern side of the boundary of the Evelyn estate or that they formed a double avenue of trees heading south towards George Evelyn’s dwelling known as Heath Hatch (now buried within the fabric of the Star Inn).  Memories of former residents suggested it was an avenue of Lime trees, commemorated in the naming of the housing development on the eastern side of the main London road called The Limes estate [for further information see Handout, Builders of Felbridge – W M Heselden & Sons Ltd., MH/JIC/SJC 09/17].  Finally, there is the row of trees at (8) heading north from the dwelling house, which today are an assortment of Sycamore (Acer pseudoplatanus), Beech and Oaks, but from their sizes were probably planted by the Gatty family during the 19^th century. 

Trees planted to line an avenue is a customary way to emphasize the coming to or arrival at a landscape or architectural feature and avenues of trees are some of the most important structural plantings to be found in designed landscapes and probably the only surviving link with Edward Evelyn’s vision for Felbridge Park.  The planting of Lime trees to create an avenue (4) had been advocated by John Evelyn as he considered them a perfect tree for such use, being that they grow upright in most soils, produced ample foliage for shade and sweet scented blossoms to attract bees, although he lamented ‘We send commonly for this tree into Flanders and Holland … to our excessive cost’.  Other trees that John Evelyn advocated to be planted in avenues were the Sweet Chestnut (1) and Horse Chestnut, writing in Sylva ‘I wish we did more universally propagate the horse-chesnut, which being easily increas’d from layers, grows into a good standard, and bears a most glorious flower, even in our cold country: This tree (so call’d, for the cure of horses broken-winded, and other cattel of coughs) is now all the mode for the avenues to their countrey palaces in France’.  Again, Horse Chestnut trees can be found on the eastern side of the Felbridge estate (6 and 7), although these are later than the Evelyn era.  The Horse Chestnut trees (Aesculus x carnea, a hybrid with red flowers not available at the time of John Evelyn) planted at intervals in the row of Sweet Chestnut trees along the Crawley Down Road were not part of the original planting; naively being added in the 1960’s to fill gaps where some of the Evelyn Sweet Chestnut trees had been removed.

Returning to the Park and Grounds surrounding the Evelyn dwelling house at Felbridge, there is some evidence that their creation was influenced by the ideas of the ‘English Landscape Style’ as advocated by ‘Capability’ Brown.  However, Edward Evelyn died in 1751 and the estate passed to his son James who re-built the Evelyn dwelling in 1763, on or nearby the site of his father’s dwelling, so it is probable that the final creation of the Park was overseen by James Evelyn.

The ‘English Landscape Style’ can be broken down into several ideals, the following being indicated on the Bourd map or remain partially visible to this day:

1) Grounds were laid out to an informal design to reflect a classical Arcadia or vision of pastoralism and harmony with nature emphasised by rolling lawns punctuated by isolated and clumps of trees, creating an idealised vision of the English countryside.  The Bourd map indicates at least three clumps of trees in the vicinity of the dwelling and a small woodland on the southern boundary of the Grounds, plus the occasional isolated tree, although these may be remnants of previous field boundaries or the park pale of Hedgecourt as mentioned earlier.  It is perhaps interesting to note that historical writings on FelbridgePark, since the time of the Evelyn’s ownership, always make reference to the trees planted within the Grounds.

2) Lakes were created to reflect the landscape as well as for recreation and the Evelyn’s Park was lucky enough to already over-look Hedgecourt Lake, all-be-it a man-made lake created to feed a corn mill and the iron industry of the area in the mid 1500’s [for further information see Handouts, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00, Hedgecourt Mill Cottages, SJC 07/04 and Wiremill SJC 03/06].  The immediate Grounds also had at least two small ponds.

3) Shelterbelts of trees were planted to provide not only shelter but privacy in the Park and the Bourd map indicates a small woodland on the southern boundary of the Grounds, as well as the rows of trees planted, potentially as shelterbelts, on the east and south boundaries of the Grounds, adjacent to the main thoroughfares through Felbridge.  Also, by 1762, two rows of trees had been planted on the northern boundary of the Grounds of Felbridge House (A), being depicted on Roque’s map of Surrey.  The two rows of trees appear to have been Scots Pine trees (Pinus sylvestris) [known to John Evelyn as Scotch Fir Tree], but by 1873 the rows had halved in length and appear to have become a ‘ride’ or ‘walk’ through Park Wood; remnants of the northern row of trees is still visible at time of writing.     

(illustrated version only)
Fig 3. 1748 Bourd Map (annotated with the features)

4) Shrubberies were planted with newly introduced exotics and specimen plants and trees from abroad, either scattered in lawns as a feature in their own right or used as a backdrop for flower gardens.  Shrubs were graduated by height in ranks, evergreen and deciduous were kept separate and species (generally trees) were planted individually as specimens.  Popular evergreens for planting in a shrubbery included: Box (Buxus sempervirens ‘Suffruticosa’), Holly (Ilex aquilfolium), Laurel (Prunus laurocerasus), Privet (Ligustrum vulgare sempervirens) and Yew (Taxus baccata).  Popular shrubs and climbers included: Fig (Ficus carica), Hibiscus syriacus (double), Honeysuckle (Lonicera x americana), Lilac (Syringa vulgaris and Syringa persica), Passion Flower (Passiflora caerulea), Viburnum laurustinus and Virginia Creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia).  Shrubberies could also be underplanted with the following plants: Bergamot (Monarda didyma), Fritillaria imperialis, Hellebore (Helleborus foetidus and niger), Iris florentina and germanica, Madonna Lily (Lilium candidum), Martagon Lily, Peony (Paeonia officinalis), Sage (Salvia officinalis), Southernwood (Artemis abrotanum) and Tulip (Tulipa gesneriana).  Unfortunately it has not been possible to determine what if any of these species were planted by the Evelyn family, although the Bourd map does indicated solitary tees that may have been imported species or simply specimen native trees.  

5) Circuit walks were laid out to take the pedestrian on a tour around the Park.  Unfortunately this cannot be collaborated from the Bourd map but walks feature in map evidence from 1873/4 and are one of the selling points of the estate in 1911.

6) It was also common for gardens of the ‘English Landscape Style’ to have some form of temple, grotto, folly or viewing tower.  Initially FelbridgePark only had a viewing terrace near the dwelling giving a vista of the parkland running down to HedgecourtLake and up to the hills beyond.  However, in 1786, James Evelyn had a 57-foot stone monument erected in the Park (B) in memory of his parents Edward and Julia Evelyn [for further information see Handout, The Felbridge Monument, SJC 08/99] that would have been visible from the house between the avenue of Lime trees and a small pond flanked by trees. 

7) The landscaped parklands of the 18^th century also had a ha-ha, an invisible boundary to keep livestock away from the house (C).  There is still a ha-ha present on the west side of the developed area of WhittingtonCollege that was probably created by James Evelyn after the death of his father. The ends of the ha-ha would originally have continued as either walls or fences to prevent the livestock walking around the ends.

During the 18^th century, many of the formal gardens of the 17^th century were swept away in the fashion for natural landscapes where the irregularity of nature replaced geometry and order.  However, FelbridgePark was a blank canvas in 1747, being created out of farmland, an ancient, disused deer park and heath land.  Carefully composed views from the house conformed to the view of an idealised English landscape of green parkland as far as the eye could see, punctuated by natural groupings of trees, with a lake in the distance.  There were no visible boundaries to interrupt the view as the fall of the land placed the farm at Park Corner well below the eye-line from the terrace of Felbridge House.

Sadly no contemporary documentation has yet been found that describe the Park and Grounds of Felbridge Park in detail except the entry in the 1855 sale catalogue when descendants of Edward and James Evelyn put the estate up for sale and it was purchased by George Gatty of Crowhurst in Sussex.  The sale catalogue does give a description of the extent of the Mansion house and Home Domain of Felbridge Park and states that it did also include a Kitchen Garden, a WalledGarden and a Shrubbery.  The following is an abridged entry from the sale catalogue for the Mansion House and surrounding Grounds showing the extent and break-down of the Grounds:

Lot 1.

The Mansion

IS ON A MODERATE INEXPENSE SCALE,

Placed upon a gentle elevation overlooking some Beautiful Scenery, embracing the Mill Lake and Surrey Hills,
and in a PARKLIKE PADDOCK,

Which might be easily extended by the removal of Fences, so as to embrace some of the adjoining Fields & Wood, and is

BELTED & STUDDED WITH FINE, MAJESTIC & VARIED TIMBER & SHRUBS

AND EMBELLISHED BY A HANDSOME MEMORIAL COLUMN.

The PADDOCKS usually let with the House are numbered 247, 251, 255, which, with the PLEASURE GROUNDS,
&c. containing about 45 ACRES, and certain other PASTURELANDS, in the whole 83 ACRES, are now in hand

Schedule

There is a Chapel of Ease near the Residence

The schedule confirms that the Evelyn family had embraced the 18^th century ‘English Landscape style’ in the creation of the Grounds of Felbridge Park, including ‘Belts’ and ‘Groves’ of trees to add shelter, privacy and interest, an avenue leading to the dwelling house and a ‘Park’.  The description also refers to the use of ‘fine, majestic and varied timber [trees]’ and the obligatory ‘shrubbery’ and parkland embellishment of the 57-foot memorial column.  This is what George Gatty purchased in 1855 and which he, and his son Charles Henry Gatty, developed over the course of the next forty eight years.

(illustrated version only)

Fig 4 The bounds of FelbridgePark from the 1855 Sale Plan

George Gatty’s notes on the Park and Garden at Felbridge Park

On arrival at Felbridge Park, George Gatty [for further information see Handout, Charles Henry Gatty, SJC 11/03] started keeping Account Books and it is clear from his entries that he had a fair amount of repair work do to the dwelling house and maintenance to the surrounding Grounds.  He made meticulous notes on farm management, his woodland management and tree planting, as well as copious notes on the planting of fruit trees, with garden plans, and notes on which roses and plants he had planted in the garden.  He also noted the suppliers for many of the plants planted at FelbridgePark.

From George Gatty’s Account Books it is known that one of the first horticultural decisions he made was to plant a vast number of trees in and round the ‘Park’:

12^th December 1855, ordered from Mr Cameron 10,000 willow plants and 1,000 chestnut plants.  They came here over the morning of Wednesday 19^th December, the thermostat in the Grain room window being 23˚ at the time.

14^th February 1856, I have since had willow plants and larch of Mr Lambert.  All the Moat Wood that wanted planting, viz. 2 acres in one part and 2½ acres in another part is now finished, except some few places that are too wet to dig, and require sets, and there are now about 700 of Lambert’s plants and 1,500 of Cameron’s left.  The last 1,500 are of little value.  They are very inferior plants.  Method of sending only 2 kinds of Willow, and mentioned in his letter.  Cameron’s plants included 6 different kinds, many of them worthless.  About 500 of the chestnut plants are planted.  The other 500 are not good enough, being injured by the frost.

16^th February 1856, H Saxby came as Woodreeve [steward or overseer of woods].

George Gatty’s Account Books also give us an insight into some of the trees that had stood in Evelyn’s Park as on 29^th September 1856, he writes: ‘sold Mr Stenning ……. a Birch [Betula] in the Park, 36 feet, (the one blown down) at 10d.  It was beginning to canker and think had been sawn up by mid summer.  It was also less valuable from having been all too short for the purpose of moving part of it away.  1 small Spanish Chestnut [another name for Sweet Chestnut] in the Park was also sold (23ft) at 10d. [and] A Beech lying by the Chestnut taken away by Godlee 1^st October 1856 and said by him to have been mentioned some months ago and sold to Mr Stenning by Saxby or Mr Baker’. 

George Gatty seems keen to adopt the latest garden fashions, which by the middle of the 19^th century had moved on from the ideas considered fashionable in the 18^th century under the Evelyns.  Trees still formed an essential part of the Park, especially exotic trees such as the Monkey Puzzle (Araucaria imbricate), varieties of the Cedar tree, especially Cedrus atlantica and Cedrus deodara, Lawsons Cypress and many sorts of juniper, spruces and various ornamental species of Prunus.  We know some of the above species of trees were planted by George Gatty in the Park, along with some of the shrubs he had planted, as in he notes the following as ‘transplanted’ in March 1857: Hollies (Ilex), Rhododendron, Calimia (Kalmia latifolia or Mountain Laurel), Deodara (Cedrus deodara or Himalayan Cedar), and Araucaria (Araucaria imbricata or Monkey Puzzle tree).  Another introduction to the Park was the Arboretums to display collections of trees on a large scale.  Map evidence shows an increase in the number of ‘clumps’ or ‘copse’ of trees, many depicted by the cartographic symbol for a fir tree, during the ownership of Felbridge Park under the Gattys.

Rockeries also become the craze during the 19^th century and it is known that Felbridge Park acquired a fern planted rockery under the Gattys.  Wild gardens increased in popularity, especially from the end of the 19^th century with advocates like William Robinson of Gravetye, whose head gardener was Ernest Markham (a local gardener for a future handout) and who also influenced the planting schemes of Sylvia Crowe (a local garden designer for a future handout).  Advances in glasshouse technology enabled the tenderest of plants to be cultivated at home and Felbridge Park acquired several large glasshouses and a large conservatory under the Gattys.  Flower beds, which had virtually disappeared in the 18^th century, reappeared in the 19^th century with ever brighter colours and George Gatty supplies a list of plants with which he stocked his ‘Garden’. 

In March 1857, George Gatty turned his attention to the ‘Garden’, listing that the following were planted:

Stocks (Matthiola incana)                  

Verbena

Yellow Calicolarias (Calceolarias or Lady's Purse, Slipper Flower and Pocketbook Flower)

Lobelia Cardinalis

Small blue Cardinalis

Salvia Red (also known as Sage)

Salvia Blue (also known as Sage)

Roses (Rosa)

Climbing rose for iron work

Asters

Virginia Stock (Malcolmia maritime)

Phlox

Pansies (Viola)

Carnations (Dianthus caryophyllus)

Pinks (Dianthus)

Hollyhocks (Alcea rosea)

 

Many of these plants are brightly coloured and there is a good range of heights from the hollyhocks down to the pansies.  Scent must have been important as the stocks, phlox, carnations and pinks are all highly perfumed.  Also among them are most of the ‘must haves’ from the Victorian age, including: asters, calceolarias, carnations, hollyhocks, lobelia, pansies, pinks (in particular – Mrs Simpkins), salvia and verbena.

Rose breeding also expanded greatly during the 19^th century and as a consequence whole gardens began to be devoted to roses.  Pamphlets and magazines were produced by various nurserymen detailing the latest roses available and many of those chosen by George Gatty are detailed in either The Floricultural Cabinet and Florists' Magazine, published in 1841 or The Rose Amateur's Guide, published by Thomas Rivers of the Nurseries, Sawbridgworth, Hertfordshire, in 1846.  George Gatty writes in his Account Books:  The following climbing roses were planted 3^rd March 1857.  They came from Messrs. J & C Lee (see under plants-men below)

Ayrshire Splendens                                       1

Semper virens Felicite Perpetue                 2

Sempervirens Brumonii                               3

Ayrshire Alice Grey                                      4

Boursault Amadis                                         5

Hybrid Perpetual Princesse Louisa                        6

Hybrid Climber Sir [John] Sebright            7

Multiflora Superba                                       8

Sempervirens Princess Marie                      9

Ayrshire Ruga                                               10

Ayrshire Thoresloyana                                 11

Sempervirens Adelaide d’Orleans              12

 

The first mentioned 11 were planted in the BreakfastRoomGarden, and the 12^th against the stern of a Portugal Laurel in the Chapel Walk.  The BreakfastRoomGarden was a secluded garden on the south side of the dwelling, visible only from the Breakfast/Dining Room and the roses George Gatty chose range from white (Ayrshire spendens and Semprevirens Brumonii) through various shades of pink to bright crimson (Sir [John] Sebright).  The ‘Portugal Laurel’ is Portuguese Laurel (Prunus lusitanica), used as a hedging plant, which appears to have been used to hedge the ‘Chapel Walk’.

Finally, the last 19^th century garden revival, hidden from view during the 18^th century, was the Walled Kitchen Garden, which now benefited from advances in technology, enabling the production of an ever increasing range of fruits and vegetables.  George Gatty devotes many entries in his Account Books to the growing of fruits and vegetables from asparagus and strawberries to a huge variety of fruit trees.  Notes on asparagus state: ‘After cutting, and about the middle or end of June, apply sufficient salt between the stems just to make the ground look white.  It is a good thing in the Autumn to apply it largely in the allies, and to keep them full of water’.  George Gatty also gave a list of recommended strawberries, followed by planting dates:

Jupp [Gatty’s Head Gardener – Benjamin Jupp] recommended the following,

Black Prince              – early, good flavour

Keen’s Seedling         – next in point of time

British Queen                        – next to fruiting

Elton Prime              – late

13^th August 1856:      Planted 3 rows of Keen’s Seedling (Mrs Cranston’s [Harriet Cranston of East Court, East Grinstead])

21^st August 1856:       Planted 3 rows of Black Prince from J & C Lee (see below)

                                    Planted 3 rows of British Queen from J & C Lee (see below)

22^nd August 1856:      Planted 1 row (from Mr Lennox [of Chantlers, London Road, East Grinstead]) part Helena and part Goliath

However, by far the majority of George Gatty’s horticultural notes relate to the fruit trees that were planted.  The notes indicate the variety of fruit trees he grew, the position of them in the Walled Garden or Small Orchard, how long the fruit kept and the taste (especially with regards to apples and pears), and in many cases, the names of his suppliers, either Messrs. Lee of Hammersmith or John Cattell of Westerham (see below).

Apples

1^st November 1855

Mrs Cranstone [Mrs Cranston of East Court] left here some very fine apples of two kinds:

Royal Rennett [Rienette]: large, a good deal of pink colour, long stalk.

Blenheim Orange: less colour lower part, rather like a Russett, stalk short.

Both kinds keep good till the beginning of March 1856.

24^th March 1856

Ate the last of the Blenheim Orange apples.  It was then a very nice eating apple though large.  Skin rather shrivelled but flesh not at all damaged.

With regards to the apples mentioned above, Royal Riennette is a culinary and eating apple, extensively grown in West Sussex during the 19^th century; and the Blenheim Orange is an 18^th century dessert apple.

6^th November 1856

Went into Wren’s garden and tasted apples from 3 different trees.

1 Pippin (he thinks Golden Pippin, I think not). 

It is an extremely nice eating apple and will keep till apples come again.

2 Woodcock Apple – Woodstock Pippin.  An eating apple and very nice though less so than the pippin.  It will keep till about February.

3 Forge Apple, very like Woodcock Apple in all respects.

The Wren referred to above was Thomas Wren who ran Felbridge Blacksmith Forge (opposite the Star Inn) at the time of the entry (now the site of Hydro Pools and Westminster Furniture), the son of Henry Wren, deceased, formerly of Woodcock Forge [for further information see Handout, Golards Farmhouse, SJC 11/07].  With regards to the apples mentioned, the Golden Pippin is a 17^th century dessert apple originating from Sussex; the Woodcock Apple is a 17^th century cider apple originating from Herefordshire and Gloucestershire; Woodstock Pippin is another name for Blenheim Orange; and the Forge Apple or Sussex Forge is a dual purpose apple, ripening as an aromatic eating apple that was widely grown near iron forges in the local area.  Many elderly and former Felbridge residents believe the Forge Apple originated in Felbridge but there is no conclusive evidence that it did.  However, a survey of locations where the Forge Apple is known to have grown or still grows in Felbridge, found that many of the dwellings dating to the 18^th and 19^th century had a Forge Apple tree in the garden.

Between the Walled Kitchen Garden and the ‘railings of the Godstone road’ (A22), George Gatty created the ‘Small Orchard’ complete with a diagram of planting.  This thin strip of land was bounded on the south by the Chapel.  The orchard was initially planted with twelve apple trees, in three rows in March 1857, being added to by a further six apple trees and a quince tree in December 1859, creating a total of four rows. 
The following apple trees were planted in the orchard on 3^rd March 1857 from Messrs. J & C Lee:

1) Ripston [Ribston] Pippin: English dessert apple, 1708

2) Scarlet [poss. Scarlet Crofton]:  English, Elizabethan, dessert apple

3) Beauty of Kent: English cooking apple, pre-dating 1801

4) Reinette de Canada: French cooking apple, pre 1771

5) Hawthornden: Scottish cooking apple, pre 1780

6) Northern Greening: English cooking apple, pre 17^th century

7) Vineyard Pippin: English cooking apple, pre 1820

8) Nonpareil: French dessert apple, 16^th century

9) Keswick Codling [Codlin]: English cooking apple, pre-1793

10) Lemon Pippin: English eating apple, 1700

11) Blenheim Orange: English eating apple, 1740

12) Red Qarrendine: no further information

Numbers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 were ordered from, 6^th December 1859, and planted as soon as they arrived.

13) Graham Apple: no further information

14) Reinette de Canada: French cooking apple, pre 1771

15) Elton Pippin: English dessert apple, pre 1806

16) Lincolnshire Holland Pippin: English, dual purpose apple, 1729

17) Ripstone [Ribston] Pippin: English dessert apple, 1708

18) Royal Rupert: English cider apple, pre 1769

19) Quince [Cydonia oblonga]: Babylonian origin, arriving in England pre 14^th century

Besides the orchard of apple trees, George Gatty also had a number of fruit trees planted in the WalledGarden, again with plans to show each individual location.

Pears

15^th January 1856. 

Mr Catt sent me 1½ dozen from a tree that I had given him leave to remove from Stoneham.  It was the first crop it had borne, and the whole crop.  I ate the last one on 26^th March.  It was very good, but would have been better a week earlier.  The tree from which they came was the old Colmar.  ‘Stoneham’ referred to Lower Stoneham Farm, South Malling, Sussex, purchased by George Gatty in 1838, and Mr. Catt is potentially William Catt, a merchant of Bishopstone, Sussex, who purchased a large portion of the Stoneham estate on the death of Henry Hume Spence in 1842.

26^th March 1856

Received from Messrs. J & C Lee, Hammersmith, 6 dwarf trained pear trees, at 3/6 each and had them planted in the border immediately against the wall facing South West [in the WalledGarden].

They appear to be in excellent condition, their names are as follows:

viz.      1 Winter Nelis – price 6/- each: Belgian dessert pear, early 1800’s

            2 Colmar [d’Ete]: French dessert pear, 1825

            1 Crassane; French dessert pear, 1855

            1 Beurre Rance: French dessert pear, 1829

            1 Bonne Louise [Louise Bonne of Jersey]: French dessert pear, early 1700’s

At the same time I gave Mr Winchester [of Hedgecourt Farm] 1 dozen standard apple trees, which were between 6 and 7 feet high and looked remarkably healthy.  Price 1/6 each.

12^th August 1856

One of the pear trees mentioned above, variety Beurre Rance, is dead.

11^th April 1857

The pear trees mentioned above were not pruned back when planted last year, (as the peach and nectarine trees were), by the advice of Messrs. Lee. 

This year they have not broken strongly and I have had them all (except Beurre Rance) pruned back today by the advice of Mr. McMillan, foreman to Mr. Cattell.

In 1862, again within the WalledGarden, George Gatty had three Fig trees planted against the wall, and seven more varieties of pears:

5) Marie Louise: Belgian dessert pear, 1809

4) Bezi d’Esperen: French dessert pear, pre 1832

3) Louise Bonne of Jersey: French dessert pear, early 1700’s         

2) Beurre Van Mons: Belgian dessert pear, late 1700’s                   

1) Duchesse D’Orleans: French dessert pear, early 1800’s

Numbers 2, 3 and 4 were bought from Cattells on 28^th November 1862 and planted immediately.  They were all grafted on Quince stocks.

1) Josephine de Malines: Belgian dessert pear, c1830

2) Ganselis Bergamotte [Bergamot]: Italian dessert pear, c1830

The last two mentioned were from Cattells 28^th November 1862.  They are not on Quince stocks.

Peaches and Nectarines

26^th March 1856

Received from Messrs. J & C Lee 4 dwarf trained peach trees,

viz.      1 Barrington; no further information

1 Gros Mignonne: French, 1818

1 Noblesse: pre 1807

1 Violet Hative: English, pre 1812

And two dwarf trained nectarine trees,

viz.      1 Ebruge: pre 1819

            1 Pitmaston Orange: English, early 1800’s

They were very healthy tree and were immediately planted against the wall facing the South East.

9^th April 1857

Mr Cattell’s foreman (Mr McMillan) saw them today.  All doing remarkably well.  He recommended that they should be taken out of the ground in November and firmly replanted in the same places.  This is to attain the same purpose as root pruning.  Should be repeated every year for 3 - 4 years.

Cherries and Plums

The following trees were planted [in the WalledGarden] on 3^rd March 1857 (from Messer’s J & C Lee)

1) Green Gage: French plum allegedly first imported into England in 1724 by Sir William Gage (Lord of the manor of Hedgecourt), from whom it takes it’s English name

2) Purple Gage [Reine Claude Violette]: European plum, pre 1780                       

3) Jefferson: American plum, imported to England in 1841             

4) Coe’s Golden Drop: English plum, early 1800’s  

The following trees were planted in the orchard (against the wall) 31^st March 1858 (from Cattell, Westerham) [with the Chapel at the southern end].

1) Imperatrice: plum, c1700’s          

2) Washington: American plum, 1790

3) Florence: Italian red cherry, no further information         

4) Archduke [also known as Late Duke]: English black cherry, pre 1629    

5) Bigarreau Gros Coeuret: French cherry, dark red, nearly black

6) Morella: Dark red, sour cherry, popularised in England in the 16^th century        

Dwarf trained [trees] ordered from Messrs. J & C Lee 6^th December 1859.

1 Apricot (MoorPark): introduced from China, pre 1688

1 Peach (Tardive D’Orleans): French, no further information

1 Morella Cherry: popularised in England in the 16^th century

1 Bigarreau Gros Coeuret: French red cherry, pre 1766

1 Nectarine Violette Hative: pre 1831

Standards

1 Quince – which ever he thinks best.

One of George Gatty’s plans also shows a ‘Vine Border’ at the end of one of the walls of the WalledGarden.

George Gatty was not only concerned with creating beautiful gardens and a productive WalledGarden and Orchard; he was also interested in the quality of his grassland, writing:

Improvement of Grassland. 

Apply half inch Bones (which cost from 22/- to 24/- a quarter) at the Rate of 10 quarters per acre. 

Let them be well rolled in, and the rooks kept away.

This dressing will last for 30 years.

Recommended by Mr. Watkins, September 1858.

Alongside the planting of FelbridgePark and Grounds and maintenance of the grassland, George Gatty also notes that he had to re-fence some of the Park, writing:

Lengths of iron fence required

From the box gate to Park Wood                240

From the gate in Birch Grove to the wood            364

From the garden wall to the new Lodge     317

Gates required                                              921

The fence proposed is 3/9 a yard.   

There is also a recipe for ‘An economical and durable black paint, used at the BritanniaBridge, N. Wales. R Stevenson, Engineer’ that George Gatty noted in his Account Books, suitable for coating iron railings:

9 Gallons of Coal Tar

9lbs. Slacked Lime

2 Quarts of Spirit of Turpentine

The Lime must be sifted very fine, and then mixed with the coal tar, and both well stirred together before the spirit of turpentine is added.

It forms a beautiful glossy black paint which is most valuable for iron, as it never comes off when touched, nor softens in the sun.

When used, it does not require to be heated by the fire, and it will keep fit for rite for any length of time.

It should be applied with a brush in a very thin coat.

He also had work done on the pond, presumably to stop it flooding the newly re-routed carriage track from South Lodge when the water level rose too high, writing: The length of the drain from the small pond that requires pipes of some kind is 62 yards.  This work was carried out by Amos Tolhurst in November 1855, at a cost of £173 2s 10d.

Sadly for George Gatty, he only enjoyed living at Felbridge Park for eight years as he died in 1864 and the estate passed to his son Charles Gatty [for further information see Handout, Charles Henry Gatty, SJC 09/03] to further develop and maintain the Park, Grounds, Walled Garden and Orchard.  Unfortunately no documentary evidence has yet been discovered that might detail how Charles Gatty altered the grounds of FelbridgePark.  However, map evidence does provide some information. 

By 1873/4, a large Conservatory has been built against the southern side of the dwelling, accessed from the loggia and the dining room, very close to the rose garden planted by George Gatty.  Two long glasshouses had been built on the south facing wall of the WalledGarden, no doubt covering the less hardy peach and nectarine trees and there is a small glasshouse at the northern end of the Small Orchard.  The Evelyn Chapel has been demolished (a condition of building St John’s Church in 1865 [for further information see Handouts, The Chapels of Felbridge, SJC 05/00 and St John the Divine, SJC 07/02i]) and the area has been re-planted with deciduous and fir trees.  The pond to the west of the dwelling house is bounded by a belt of trees on either side.  Several ‘Walks’ are indicated through the grounds, a ‘Ride’ of fir trees is depicted cutting through Park Wood, and the shelter belts of trees between the Grounds and the main London road appear to have been thickened up with extra trees.

In the mid 1880’s, a description of FelbridgePark appeared in the ‘History and Guide to East Grinstead and Its Environs’.  The following, in abridged form, gives a good idea of what FelbridgePark was like in the mid 1880’s:

……….Coming back to the mansion and its grounds – for they are of vast size and include a magnificent park – we find that for a considerable number of years they were owned by members of the Evelyn family, descendants of George Evelyn of Nutfield, who was MP for Bletchingley and JP for Surrey.  He died in 1692.  The gentleman was cousin to John Evelyn, author of “Sylva,” &c., whose diary of the times in which he lived we shall refer to later on.  In this work there is frequent mention to visit to his “Cousin George”, of Nutfield.  Edward Evelyn, described as of Heath Hatch, Felbridge, who died in 1751, at the age of 71, was a son of the above….. and father of James Evelyn, of Felbridge, LL. D…..

….. The house is a fair sized mansion, built of light-coloured and ornamental bricks and is of the composite order of architecture.  It has a fine terrace from which a capital view of the country can be obtained.  Its grounds contain a number of ornamental trees, several being very fine specimens, notably a Wellingtonia gigantean, of about 20 years grown, which is some 60 feet in height.  There is also a splendid evergreen oak [Quercus ilex], covering a very large space of ground, also some good specimens of the Pinus insignis [Monterey Pine], Picea nobilis glauca [White or Canadian Spruce], Picea nordmannianna [Nordmann or Caucasian Fir], Araucaria [Monkey Puzzle], Cryptomeria japonica [Japanese Cedar], &c.

The park, as we have stated, is a large one and well-timbered.  It contains a monument of stone in the form of a column, which is 56 feet in height.

…………taking the road and proceeding past the church and entrance lodge of the mansion.  The road is very pretty just here and the beautiful foliage of the fine trees is very charming…….

By 1895, another glasshouse has appeared in the Small Orchard, adjacent to the one depicted in 1873/4.  The area around the dwelling house and its immediate Grounds has become more defined and several trees, mostly depicted as fir, have been planted to the west of the approach to the dwelling house from the north Lodge.  There are also more singular/specimen trees and clumps of trees in the Park to the south of the house and the boundary with Copthorne Road, although the trees bounding the pond have been removed.  Also, more trees are depicted across the general Park to the west of the driveway from South Lodge than were depicted in 1873/4.  In 1910, very little has changed since 1895, except the depiction of what is probably the tennis lawn as described in the sale particulars of 1911.

Charles Gatty died in 1903 and FelbridgePark passed to two male cousins from his mother’s family, Alfred Leighton Sayer and Charles Lane Sayer.  Neither of the Sayers resided at FelbridgePark and the estate was leased out until 1911 when it was put up for auction, by now referred to as Felbridge Place, described as:

“Felbridge Place”

beautifully situated on an eminence, commanding lovely views.

The Mansion contains a suite of well-proportioned Reception Rooms, 18 Bed and Dressing Rooms, fitted

Bath and complete Offices.  It is approached by Two Carriage Drives and protected by Lodges at entrance,

and stands in the midst of

Beautiful Old Pleasure Grounds,

Grandly timbered Park and Luxuriant Woodlands

MAGNICENT LAKE OF 40 ACRES,

STABLING,                          GLASSHOUSES,

The description for the Mansion House, Park and Grounds (referred to as Pleasure Grounds) was as follows:

Lot 1

THE HANDSOME MANSION,

Beautifully placed on an eminence some 330 feet above sea level, with lovely views, perfectly screened from the Roads by finely grown timber, approached by two Carriage Drives with a
PICTURESQUE LODGE at each Entrance,

Together with

Excellent Stabling, Coachman’s Rooms,

Glasshouses, Productive OldGardens, and with the

Grandly-timbered PARK AND WOOD LANDS

Extending to an area of about 104a. 0r. 11p.

An abridged description referring to the gardens and grounds follows:

LOFTY CONSERVATORY

With tessellated floor, approached from the Loggia, measuring about 34ft. by 18ft. with pretty Rockery and

two beds of handsome camellias; …

THE KITCHEN GARDENS,

enclosed by walls on two sides and fenced on the other sides, are extensive and well stocked with wall and  other  Fruit Trees

The Glasshouses include heated Peach and Nectarine House about 60 ft. long, two Vineries and Forcing
House.  There are also three ranges of cold Pits and heated Greenhouse in small Orchard.

The REMARKABLY BEAUTIFUL OLD PLEASURE GROUNDS
Extending to some 6 acres include the
FINE BROAD TERRACE with Lawns and Flower Gardens,
Tennis and other Lawns and Lovely Woodland Walks,
Rustic Summerhouse.

The features of the Grounds are the unusually beautiful Banks of Rhododendrons and other shrubs, the fine old Yew Hedges, the magnificently grown Coniferæ and the fine old Cedar, Oak, Beech, Elm and other timber trees which adorn the same, and

The Park Lands
Which latter slope towards the Great Lake described in Lot 3 and present a lovely vista from the
Mansion and Terrace. 

In the Park stands the interesting Monument, erected by the late James Evelyn …….

Schedule

The timber in this Lot shall be paid for by the Purchaser, in addition to his purchase-money at the sum of £875 13s 3d.

The Purchaser of this Lot will be required to take and pay for at a valuation, to be  made by two Valuers or their Umpire in the usual manner, the blinds, cornice poles and usual Tenant’s fixtures on the premises, and also for the Acetylene Gas Plant and fittings, also iron fencing, garden tools, plants in Conservatory and Greenhouses and growing crops.

Alongside the sale catalogue a separate brochure was produced, entitled Some Facts & Photos of Felbridge, East Grinstead, and the following is an abridged extract referring specifically to the Grounds:

… of the beauty of its grounds, gardens, and park, pages might well be written.  No one can enter without being impressed by the exquisite taste and discrimination exercised by generations long since gathered to their forefather, in planting and conserving the magnificent specimen and timber trees which adorn the grounds and estate.

Here may be seen in a state of unusual perfection rare coniferæ, as well as superbly grown cedar, oak, beech, elm and chestnut trees…

The mansion itself stands on a slight eminence with a south-west aspect, and commands charming views across the park over the expanse of water known as HedgecourtLake to the wooded heights beyond.  Architecturally it is after the Italian style, its tendency towards severity being chastely relieved by the loggia of enriched brickwork on stone columns, which runs throughout the length and around the bay of the main façade…

Both rooms [dining room and library] have large French casement windows opening on to the loggia, and commanding delightful views over the terraced Italian garden, the park the lake and woodlands. 

…Admirably placed on the southern flank of the house is a large and harmoniously designed conservatory, some thirty-four feet in length and eighteen feet in width.  The fern-clad rockery and magnificent camellia beds are notable and pleasing features.

… Jutting out at a right angle from the other offices, and forming one side of a walled fruit garden, are brew and bake-houses, …

… The windows of the [first floor] rooms on the south-west front open on to the balustraded balcony over the loggia, and from them one obtains a glorious vista of the garden, park and pasture.

... let us emerge into the open and regard the surroundings which constitute the crowing glory of the manor, pausing, however, to inspect the productive walled kitchen gardens, well stocked with fruit trees; the heated peach and nectarine house, two vineries…, and a forcing house; there are also three ranges of cold pits and a heated greenhouse in small orchard.

... The remarkable beauty of the gardens and park has already been enlarged upon; it is very generally regarded as an ornament to a part of England where the picturesque is the rule rather than the exception.

Additional attractions will be found in the tennis lawns, rustic summer house and the woodland walks, while no small interest will centre in the monumental stone obelisk, erected in the park by James Evelyn …

(illustrated version only)
Fig 5 1911 Sale Plan

Comparing the above descriptions from 1911 with the sales particulars of the 1855, it is possible to determine alterations that the Gatty family made to the Park and Grounds after their purchase from descendents of the Evelyn family in 1855.  The main observation is that the Park and Grounds had increased in size from a little over 83 acres to just over 104 acres.  This had been achieved by the incorporation of Park Wood (just over 7¾ acres) lying against the northern boundary of the Park in 1855, which the Gattys had extended on the western side into the northern end of a field of pasture, creating a woodland of 13 acres; and the incorporation of two fields (pasture and lay) that had been part of the Evelyn’s newly built Home Farm (Park Farm), lying against the western boundary of the Park.  It is assumed that livestock had the run of some of the Park under the Evelyns as the description in 1855 records sheds and yards and there is still a ha-ha.  This livestock was probably sheep, which were still a viable cash crop for tallow, meat and wool until the end of the 18^th century.  However, in 1911, the sheds are describes as a ‘Timber and Tiled Cattle Lodge’ and a ‘Thatched Cow Shed’ suggesting the livestock were now cattle and that milk and meat production had become more viable.  Other additions added by the Gattys appear to be the ‘fine broad terrace’ at the northwest of the house behind the pre-existing ha-ha, with the addition of a low stone wall and coping on the top and a low lattice stone-work wall round the edge of the ‘viewing terrace’.  Also, ‘flower gardens’, which had returned to fashion during the 19^th century, along with ‘magnificently grown Coniferæ’. 

Nurseries and Plants-men used by George Gatty

To realise and maintain the Pleasure Grounds and Park land of Felbridge Place as described in the sales particulars, the Gatty family relied on an assortment of local gardeners and nurserymen and fortunately George Gatty does name several of them in his Account Books, and together with census records and a list of the Gatty’s servants made by a former Felbridge resident, it has been possible to determine who these plants-men were. 

John Cattell, Westerham

John Cattell was born about 1786 and founded a nursery and seed establishment operating from the High Street, Westerham, Kent (adjacent to the Grass Hopper on the Green, close to the railway station) in 1799.  In 1861 the nursery covered 35 acres and John Cattell was employing 24 men and boys and regularly advertised in the Gardeners Chronicle, ‘a weekly illustrated journal of horticulture and allied subjects’, during the early to mid 1800’s.  His business was divided into two ‘departments’ – Seed and Nursery as the following advertisement details:

 

John Cattell died in 1860 and his business continued, run by his widow Mary, assisted by their elder son John James Cattell until his death in 1869 and then their younger son Charles Francis.  On the death of Mary in 1878, Charles F Cattell moved to 47, London Road, Sevenoaks, Kent, establishing his own nursery, Pine Nursery, operating from Ide Hill, Sevenoaks, Kent, by 1883.

George Gatty purchased many of his cherry, pear and plum trees from Cattells of Westerham and he notes on more than one occasion that they also sent their foreman ‘Mr. McMillan’ to give advice.

Messrs. Lee of Hammersmith

James Lee, who established the nursery, had been born in 1715 in Selkirk and moved to London, being employed at Syon, and later at Whitton by the Duke of Argyll.  In about 1760, he went into partnership with Lewis Kennedy, gardener to Lord Bolton, at Chiswick, the pair establishing a nursery on the site of a former vineyard in Hammersmith.  A thatched house was built in the grounds with wine cellars beneath and James Lee and his partner took it over, establishing a successful Horticultural Nursery named Royal Vineyard Nursery, known for obtaining ‘everything rare’ and beautiful plants from distant countries.  

On the death of its founders, the nursery was taken on by their sons until 1817, when they dissolved the partnership.  It then became the sole property of James Lee (son of James Lee) and on his death in 1824, the business being taken on by his John who was joined by his brother Charles in 1827.  The firm traded John & Charles Lee (sometimes referred to a J & C Lee) until 1877, when John retired and William Lee, the son of Charles, joined his father in the management of the business.  However, in 1881, on the death of Charles, John came out of retirement, to assist his nephew who was deeply affected by the loss of his father.  The firm continued until the early part of the 20^th century before it ceased trading, being one of the oldest, most respected and successful nursery gardens in the area.

Through the notes left by George Gatty we know that Messrs. Lee supplied him with a vast array of fruit trees and strawberries.

Felbridge Park Gardeners

Using George Gatty’s Account Books, census records, a list of servants who served the Gatty family compiled by a former Felbridge resident, and other documents, it has been possible to determine the names of some of the gardeners who worked at Felbridge Park.   

George Groves: born in Lingfield, Surrey, in about 1781, is listed as a gardener in the census records in 1851, living in one of Park Cottages, Copthorne Road.  In 1801, a George Groves is also listed as a tenant of the Evelyn Estate; this George could be the same person, in which case he may have worked as a gardener at Felbridge Park under the Evelyn family.  However, there is also a George Groves who received an annuity from James Evelyn on his death in 1793, and the George born in 1781 would have been too young, so there are at least two George Groves in the area.  In 1851, the George Groves who gardened at Felbridge Park worked alongside his 16-year old son George (making a third person by this name) also recorded as a gardener.  Both these latter George Groves, senior and junior, had left Felbridge by 1871 and George senior was operating as a ‘seedman and florist’ from a shop in London Road, East Grinstead.  

Amos Tolhurst: born in Lamberhurst, Kent, in about 1834, first appears in the Felbridge area sometime between 1851 and 1855, being referred to in George Gatty’s Account Books for several jobs involving heavy, manual labour, such as digging drains in 1855 and installing a 5,000 gallon water tank in 1856.  In 1861 he was recorded as an agricultural labourer and lodging at Hedgecourt Cottage, in Worth (near Rubens Cottage [for further information see Handout, Acacia Cottage, SO 07/03]).  By 1871, Amos had moved to Chapel Cottages on Crawley Down Road, Felbridge, and was recorded as a ‘gardener (Kitchen)’, implying that he was responsible for the WalledGarden at FelbridgePark.  Amos continued to work as a gardener at Felbridge Place until his death in 1902. 

Benjamin Jupp: born in Oxted, Surrey, in about 1826, moved to Wards Cottages, London Road, Felbridge, from Sevenoaks, Kent, sometime between 1851 and 1861.  Benjamin was only ever recorded as ‘gardener’ but former local residents indicated that he worked as Gatty’s Head Gardener for much of his time at Felbridge Park.  Sometime between 1871 and 1881, Benjamin was joined by his son Ernest Jupp who was born at Wards Cottages in 1863.  Ernest Jupp worked at FelbridgePark until his death in 1896 and Benjamin Jupp worked there until his death, a year later in 1897.    

William Richard Muddle: born in Buxted, Sussex, in 1853, moved with his family to the Felbridge area by 1880 and was living at Harts Hall Cottage (now the site of the development known as Long Wall off Copthorne Road) in 1881; William recorded as a gardener.  Harts Hall had extensive grounds and was in the occupation of William Ramsden Price, although the property had been bought by Charles Gatty of FelbridgePark in 1878 [for further information see Handout, Harts Hall, SJC 07/05].  The list of Gatty servants compiled by a former Felbridge Resident states that William Muddle was the ‘Head Gardener’ at Felbridge Park probably succeeding after the death of Benjamin Jupp in 1897, and it is possible that both men were responsible for maintaining the grounds of both properties.  The ownership of both Harts Hall and FelbridgePark may also answer the question as to why there is a sharp increase in gardeners living in Felbridge between 1881 and 1901, including:

William George West, born in East Grinstead, Sussex, in 1855 and living at Chapel Cottages, Crawley Down Road in 1881.

Albert Arthur Garwood, born at Felbridge Park in 1878, the son of Daniel Garwood, coachman to the Gatty family, living at Park Cottages, Copthorne Road, Felbridge, in 1901.

Ernest Dearling, born in East Grinstead in 1882,  listed as ‘Under Gardener’ in 1901 and also living at Park Cottages, Copthorne Road, in 1901.

Edward Creasey, born in Felbridge, in 1890, listed as a ‘garden labourer’, living at Park Cottages, Copthorne Road in 1901.

Albert Daniels, born in East Grinstead, in 1891, the son of Thomas Daniels, a carter on Park Farm, Felbridge, living at Park Cottages, Copthorne Road, in 1901. 

George Francis Brand, born in Newton Abbott, Devon, in 1883, together with his brother Edmund James Brand, born in Salisbury, Wiltshire, in 1886, moved to Felbridge with their parents between 1891 and 1901, both working as gardeners and living at Harts Hall Cottages in 1901.

Arthur George Creasey, born in Felbridge in 1887, together with his brother Frederick Leonard Creasey, born in Felbridge, in 1890, both worked as gardeners and lived at Park Cottages, Copthorne Road, in 1911.

Frederick George Wheeler, born in Felbridge in 1890, the son of Thomas Wheeler, a carter on Park Farm, worked as a gardener, living at Fir Tree Cottage, Crawley Down Road, Felbridge, in 1911.

Arthur Whiting, born in Oxted, Surrey, in 1894, moved to Felbridge as a gardener by 1911, living in Rowplatt Lane, Felbridge, in 1911.

Henry [Harry] Arthur Wheeler, born in East Grinstead in 1876, the son of George Wheeler, a carter of Park Farm, Felbridge, began gardening at FelbridgePark between 1891 and 1901, living in a dwelling within the grounds.  In 1911, Harry was living with his widowed mother Mary, at Felbridge Place (just before the first auction of the break-up and sale of the estate); Mary recorded as caretaker and Harry as gardener.

The visible Horticultural Legacy in Felbridge left by Evelyn and Gatty families

Although the Felbridge estate has been broken-up, sold off and re-developed since its initial auction in 1911, it is fortunate that much of the ‘Park’ created by the Evelyn family and the ‘Pleasure Grounds’ developed by the Gatty family still survive.  This is due to the fact that the immediate Park and Pleasure Grounds surrounding Felbridge mansion were purchased by the Worshipful Company of Mercers in 1966 for the re-location of Whittington College from Highgate [for further information see Handout, Whittington College, SJC 10/00] and although the first phase of their development was on the site of the Walled Garden area and the second phase had the mansion house demolished in 1972, the remaining Grounds have were kept virtually intact and have been maintained and added to by the College gardeners since their purchase.

 

The Evelyn’s, working with a blank canvas of reclaimed farmland and heath land, created a typical 18^th century ‘Park’ featuring many of the design ideas advocated by two of the leading Georgian landscape designers, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown and his self proclaimed successor, Humphry Repton.  Sadly Hedgecourt Lake can no longer be seen from the viewing terrace and the monument erected by James Evelyn in memory of his parents was re-located to Leamington Hall, Alnwick in Northumberland in 1927 [for further information see Handout, The Felbridge Monument, SJC 08/99], where it still stands.  However, the Evelyns were known for their trees and it is fortunate that some of these specimens are still standing in Felbridge.

The most obvious Evelyn horticultural legacy is the row of Sweet Chestnut trees (Castanea sativa) [also known as Spanish Chestnut] that run along the west side of the Crawley Down Road.  This is one row that forms a ‘V’ that once pointed to the entrance of the Evelyn estate at Felbridge.  The second row of these Sweet Chestnut trees runs through the woodland at the rear of the Felbridge Village Hall.  Originally 104 trees were planted at a distance of half a chain (33ft/11m) apart and, based on two independent tree ring counts and the measured girths of the trees still standing, evidence suggests that they were planted in 1714. 

Once extending north from the point of the ‘V’ of Sweet Chestnut trees was the entrance (near the site of the Parish Council Gate) off  the Copthorne Road and carriage drive (starting part-way along the public footpath) that ran up to the Evelyn’s family home – Felbridge House.  Local legend has it that the carriage drive ran through an avenue of Lime trees (Tilia x valgaris) and three Lime trees are still standing in this vicinity at the time of writing, one with a girth of 4.4m (14¼ feet).  None have any of their majestic height now, having been topped out at some point during their life, but they are still there as a reminder of the 18^th century avenue that the Evelyn family had planted.

Another Lime tree, with a girth of just over 4m (13 feet) stands to the north of the former site of the mansion house, although this too has been topped out, and the final tree dating to the Evelyn era, but not quite so visible, also stands to the north of the former site of the mansion house, surrounded by a huge bank of Rhododendron (Ponitcum).  This tree is a solitary Red Oak (Quercus rubra), the girth of which measures 4.9m (just over 16 feet), which when using John White’s dating calculation makes a planting date of the mid to late 18^th century.  Sadly none of the garden layout adjacent to the site of the mansion house survives from the Evelyn era, save a short section of the wall of the Walled Garden, built of hand-made bricks of an unusual size, 8⅝ins x 4ins x 2⅛ins (220mm x 105mm x 55mm), predominantly of English bond, potentially dating to between 1690 and 1780, before hand-made brick sizes were standardized.  Also remaining is the sandstone ha-ha and one set of sandstone steps that are still in-situ to the east of the ha-ha, although a second set of original sandstone steps have been re-sited.  Evidence for the ‘belts’, ‘clumps’ and ‘groves’ of trees, together with some of the woodland, is still visible but sadly none contain any trees that could have been planted by the Evelyns.

The two sale particulars (above) give a small window on how the Park and Grounds of Felbridge Park were developed between 1748, under the direction of the Evelyn family, and 1911, under the direction of the Gatty family and their heirs.

George Gatty re-planned the WalledGarden adding numerous fruit trees, vines and glasshouses in which to protect the more venerable fruits such as peaches and nectarines.  He also had a small orchard planted with an array of apple trees, popular of the era.  All of this has disappeared, now under the initial development of WhittingtonCollege and its Chapel back in 1966.  However, an old Fig tree (Ficus carica) of the Gatty era still clings and fruits to the short section of the WalledGarden mentioned above.   

In 1972, WhittingtonCollege expanded and with the expansion of the College came the loss of the mansion house and its immediate gardens.  In 1911, the sales particulars talk of Pleasure Grounds, extending to six acres that included a ‘broad terrace with lawns and Flower Gardens’.  Within the description were new features not referred to in the Evelyn sale of 1855 and must therefore have been created by the Gatty family.  The western edge of the ‘broad terrace’ was the edge of the Evelyn’s ha-ha, which is still standing, although coping stones and lattice stone-work were added later, visible in photographs from the turn of the 20^th century.  These have since been removed.  Behind the edge of the terrace a sunken garden had been created consisting of a lawned area with a series of large and small circular flower beds and one large octofoil [eight lobe] flower bed; this is now just a lawned area.  Gone too, for the same reason, is George Gatty’s ‘Rose Garden’ and Charles Gatty’s ‘Lofty Conservatory’ with ‘fern-clad Rockery’ and ‘two beds of handsome Camellias’.  However, the ‘Grandly timbered Park and Luxuriant Woodlands’ and ‘Beautiful banks of Rhododendrons’ have been maintained and were added to by the Gatty family during their ownership, and remnants of some of these features still remain to this day, along with some of the trees that were planted by George Gatty and, after his death in 1864, his son Charles Gatty.

Referring back to George Gatty’s Account Books, of the ‘10,000 Willow [Salix] plants …ordered from Mr Cameron’ on ‘12^th December 1855’ and the unspecified number ordered from ‘Mr. Lambert’ that had been planted by ‘14^th February 1856’, some were planted within the Park on the western side, where three old stools stand today within the grounds of Whittington College with several other stools outside the boundary on the west side of the public footpath.  Here there are two species, Common Osier (Salix viminalis) and a Grey Willow hybrid (Salix cinerea subsp. Oleifolia).  Also, in March 1857, George Gatty wrote that he had ‘transplanted’ a Deodara (Cedrus deodara or Himalayan Cedar) and an Araucaria (Araucaria imbricata or Monkey Puzzle tree), which are still standing, affording a wonderful view from many of the Whittington College dwellings.  As a point of interest, the Monkey Puzzle tree, with a girth of 4.41m (14½ feet), is considered to be the largest in Surrey.  From the list of trees described in the History and Guide to East Grinstead and Its Environs, there is no sign of a Monterey Pine (Pinus insignis), White or Canadian Spruce (Picea nobilis glauca), Nordmann or Caucasian Fir (Picea nordmannianna) or Japanese Cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) near the former site of the mansion, sadly these trees last appear in photographs of the Grounds in the late 1960’s.  However, there are several large girthed species of Coniferæ near the western boundary of the Ground.  The ‘Evergreen Oak’ (Quercus ilex) can still be found ‘covering a very large space of ground’ in the wooded area (the last remnants of the 4-acre wood on the Bourd map to the south-east of the pond and avenue) and the ‘Wellingtonia gigantean’ or Giant Redwood (Sequoiadendron giganteum) is still standing to the north of the former site of the mansion house, now joined by a second Wellingtonia, a Coastal Redwood (Sequoia sempervirens) and a Cedar of Lebanon (Cedrus libani), which from their girth measurements, suggest they were all planted in the mid to late 19^th century, probably under the direction of George’s son, Charles Gatty.

Bibliography

Handout, The Felbridge Horticultural Society, SJC 09/11, FHWS

Evelyn family

Sylva: Or a Discourse of Forest Trees & the Propagation of Timber by John Evelyn

Handout, The Evelyn Family of Felbridge, JIC/SJC 09/13, FHWS

Handout, Felbridge Place, SJC 10/99, FHWS

Handout, The Commonplace Book of Edward Evelyn, SJC/JIC 09/07, FHWS

In Celebration of the Evelyn Chestnuts of Felbridge, 1714 - 2014, compiled by the FHG

The Life and Times of a famous 17^th century diarist, article in the Surrey Mirror & County Post, 16^th October 1970, FHA

Evelyn’s Trees, article from The English Garden by Helen Gunn, FHA

The Practice of Avenue Planting in the Seventeenth and Eighteenth Centuries by Sarah M. Couch, Garden History, Vol. 20, No. 2 (Autumn, 1992), FHA

Handout, Park Corner Farm, SJC 05/09

Bourd map, 1748, FHA

Handout, Builders of Felbridge – W M Heselden & Sons Ltd., MH/JIC/SJC 09/17, FHWS

Handout, Warren Furnace, SJC 01/00, FHWS

Handout, Hedgecourt Mill Cottages, SJC 07/04, FHWS

Handout, Wiremill SJC 03/06, FHWS

Rocque’s map of Surrey, 1762, FHA

O/S map, 1873, FHA

A Natural History of English Gardening, by Mark Laird

Hardy Plants and Plantings for Repton and Late GeorgianGardens (1780–1820), Dr Sarah Rutherford

Handout, The FelbridgeMonument, SJC 08/99, FHWS

18^th Century Gardens – The English Landscape Style, www.sussexgardenstrust.org.uk/18c-gardens

O/S map, 1873, FHA

FelbridgePark sale catalogue, 1855, FHA.

George Gatty

Handout, Charles Henry Gatty, SJC 11/03, FHWS

George Gatty’s Account Book, Ref: SAY 2859, ESRO

19^th Century Gardens, www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/explore...gardens/19th-century-period-garden/

Victorian Garden Design, 1837 – 1901, www.nationaltrust.org.uk/features/victorian-garden-designs-1837-1901

Victorian Garden Plants, www.davidcstuart.wordpress.com/some-backlist-articles/victorian-garden-plants-1-flowers/

The Floricultural Cabinet and Florists Magazine, 1841

The Rose Amateur's Guide, by Thomas Rivers of the Nurseries, Sawbridgworth, Herts., 1846

Handout, Golards Farmhouse, SJC 11/07, FHWS

The Book of Apples by Joan Morgan and Alison Richards

Handout, The Chapels of Felbridge, SJC 05/00, FHWS

Handout, St John the Divine, SJC 07/02i, FHWS

History and Guide to East Grinstead and Its Environs, by W R Pepper, FHA

O/S map, 1895, FHA

O/S Map 1910, FHA

Felbridge Place sale catalogue, 1911, FHA

Brochure - Some Facts & Photos of Felbridge, East Grinstead, FHA

Messrs. Lee of Hammersmith, www.numberonelondon.net/2010/07/mr-lee-of-hammersmith/

John Cattell, newspaper advertisement, 1883, FHA

Census Records, 1801, 1841, 1851, 1861, 1871, 1881, 1891, 1901, 1911, www.ancestry.co.uk

Evelyn Estate Tithe Listing, 1801, Ref: 3069/1, SHC

Birth, Marriage and Death Index, www.freebmd.org.uk  

Handout, Acacia Cottage, SO 07/03, FHWS

Handout, Harts Hall, SJC 07/05, FHWS

Handout, WhittingtonCollege, SJC 10/00, FHWS

Estimating the Age of Large and Veteran Trees in Britain by John White, 1998

WhittingtonCollege Tree Survey of Substantial Trees, 29^th April 2019, FHA