Gatton Park

Gatton Park is a country estate set in parkland near Gatton in Surrey, England.

Now owned by the The Royal Alexandra and Albert school, Gatton Park constitutes convert|250|acre|km2 of manor and parkland. The property is Grade II listed and is in part administered by the National Trust. The manor's history can be traced to the Domesday Book of 1086. [http://www.gattonpark.com/ From 'History' at Gatton Park.com] ]

The manor of Gatton had the privilege granted in 1451 of sending two members to Parliament, a privilege it retained, as a "rotten borough" until the Parliamentary reform of 1832. [For this aspect of Gatton, see Gatton (UK Parliament constituency).] During the medieval period the manor demesne was enclosed as a deer park. About 1748 Sir James Colebrooke acquired Gatton Park from William Newland, with the proprietorship of the borough of Gatton, [(O. Manning and W. Bray, "The History and Antiquities of the County of Surrey", (1803-14, reprinted 1974)] and his brother Sir George Colebrooke had the park landscaped by Capability Brown between 1762 and 1768. [http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/court_and_social/the_hitch/article464521.ece Article on the restoration of the Park to Brown's original plans] in The Times]

In 1830, ["1830 kauften die Treuhänder des fünften Lord Monson Gatton Park, der bis 1888 im Besitz dieser Familie blieb." [http://www.eghn.org/gatton-garten "Der Garten"] ] Gatton was purchased by [Ian Nairn, Nikolaus Pevsner, Bridget Cherry, "Surrey" (Buildings of England) 1971:60.] "perhaps the best example in the country of the tendency for the church to become an extension of the landlord's parlour or sculpture gallery."

The estate was purchased in 1888 by Jeremiah Colman whose family had established the Colman's mustard food brand in the early 19th century.

After a period when the property was requisitioned during the Second World War the estate was purchased by the current owners, the Royal Alexandra and Albert School.

External links

* [http://www.gattonpark.com/ Gatton Park website]
* [http://www.raa-school.co.uk/ the Royal Alexandra and Albert School]
* [http://visitgatton.org.uk/ Gatton Park Education website]
* [http://www.greatbritishgardens.co.uk/gatton_park.htm Gatton Park] at GreatBritishGardens.co.uk
* [http://www.visitsurreyhills.com/inspiringviewsproject.asp#img14 Gatton Park] at VisitSurreyHills.com
* [http://www.oldreigate.com/?goto=gattonhall Gatton Hall, Redhill]

Notes