Gatton

 

Gatton Park

Park laid out by Capability Brown. Covers about 550 acres of undulating, and well-wooded country extending to the A23. The estate belonged to Odo, Bishop of Bayeux at Domesday. 

House - Nineteenth century saddlers Royal Alexandra and Albert School was Gatton Hall. The hall was owned in 1830 by Lord Monson, and bought by Jeremiah Coleman of the mustard fortune in 1888.  The house was gutted by fire in 1934 and rebuilt by Coleman who lived there until he died in 1934. In 1948 it was sold to the school. Extraordinary portico kept Canova architecture. Humanitarian sensitivity.  Architect Dyball buried in the churchyard. The marble hall modelled on the Corsini Chapel in St John Lateran, Rome, was lost and the house rebuilt to Sir Edwin Cooper's plans.. Stood 440 feet above sea-level,

Royal Alexandra and Albert School run by Surrey County Council.  The school was originally the Orphan Working School of 1770 and moved here in 1949. It is the second largest state boarding school in Britain.

Old Mint House.  Mint indicator

St.Andrew. Gatton church restored by Lord Monson in 1834 with architect E. Webb using nave stalls from Ghent’s Benedictine monastery. There is also a Gothic screen and Panels by Durer and thus it is an involuntary museum of picturesque Gothick. The church was originally mainly 13th century but in the 19th century Lord Monson filled it with these collections. The west gallery is supported by a 19th century rood screen; the 15th-century nave has panelling from Aarschot Cathedral, Belgium, the 16th-century altar rails come from Tongeren, Belgium, and the south transept doors from Rouen. The family pew is reached via a covered way from the house. There is however a medieval screen on Surrey woodwork.  The original church is thought to be by the same architect as churches at Merstham, Chipstead (Surrey), Merton, Cliffe and Brasted.

Gatton Town Hall.  Open building of 1765 made to look like a Grecian temple.  This was an old ‘pocket borough’ and the Town Hall was built for the election results.  This was where the election of local members of Parliament took place until the 1832 Reform Bill. The Urn was placed there for grief at the Reform Bill.  This is a very English political joke. Before this two Members of Parliament were returned for Gatton. It had Parliamentary status, electing two members from 1450.  In 1541 Sir Robert Copley, 'being the burgess and only inhabitant of the borough and town of Gatton, had returned two members with his own vote’. Often in fact the lord of the manor was the only voter. In 1830 the ‘borough’ had been purchased by 21-year-old Lord Monson who persisted in opposing reform.  The Town Hall is scheduled as an ancient monument. It was built by Sir George Colebrookedale although normally the election result was a foregone conclusion.

 

Chapel, etc. a travesty of a landscape park

Hidden gardens Coleman built a Japanese garden, which was restored for Channel 4's 'Lost Gardens'. He also built in 1912 a Dramatic Pulhamite rock garden. There are also walled gardens. Coleman grew orchids in a succession of greenhouses.   The Restoration of the gardens is ongoing and maintained by volunteers.

Hop Garden Pond

Millennium Stones. Put there by the Jerusalem Trust.  Each stone represents 200 years and is suitably inscribed

Gatton Park Road

Thus Is the line of the 1804 turnpike road.