DOI Seite / Zitierlink:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.20000#0052
22
eastward into the park, and laid out the great parterre in front of the palace. The plan of the Privy
Garden on Plate 33 is taken from an original survey in the Soane Museum, probably made under the
supervision of Sir Christopher Wren a little after this date. It does not show the fountain which
existed here until 1712.
There are several engravings of the gardens at this period, including one by Sutton Nicholls,
published about 1695, which shows the great Fountain Garden with grass lawns and scroll patterns in
box, together with a central fountain in a similar position to that which it still occupies, as well as other
smaller fountains and ponds. Another engraving of the Privy Garden shows what was probably the
arrangement just prior to the plan shown on Plate 33, that is to say, with the raised grass terrace
extending on all three sides, and the so-called "Diana" (really Arethusa), fountain in its original position
at the river end of the garden.1 Kip's view, published in the " Nouveau Theatre de la Grande Bretagne,"
1710, shows the gardens almost as they are indicated on the Soane plan (Plate 33), save that on the
south-east corner of this plan is a waste piece of ground, whilst Kip shows here a triangular pond. The
two drawings do not agree in a few other minor details. Kip also shows the design of the great
Fountain Garden with one principal and twelve minor fountains, the three grand avenues across the
park, and the pavilion terrace, overlooking the river, with the bowling-green and four pavilions.2
The new greenhouse shown on the Soane Museum plan and on Kip's view was built to house the
collection of rare plants formed by Queen Mary; it was divided into several rooms, each furnished with
a stove. The pond garden appears to have been used at this time as an orange garden, and the
smaller garden adjoining was called the auricular quarter.
When Sir Christopher Wren remodelled the palace, he made plans for a new entrance front on the
north side, and it was proposed to build a grand courtyard, between the palace and the Wilderness, with
a fine approach from the north. The only part of this magnificent scheme actually carried out was the
grand chestnut avenue across Bushey Park. One of the most interesting relics of the days of William
and Mary is the old wych-elm pleached alley, raised on a grass terrace overlooking the Privy Garden.
When Queen Anne came into possession of the palace the gardens were again remodelled, alterations
were made to the Fountain Garden, and all the box scrollwork of William and Mary was rooted up, plain
lawns being substituted. The gardens were again altered under William Kent, about 1736, in the early
days of the landscape-gardening movement. A plan engraved by J. Rocque shows the alterations then
carried out, with the great Fountain Garden in much the same state as at present. In 1750 Lancelot
Brown was appointed to the post of Royal Gardener, who fortunately, " out of respect to himself and his
profession," refused to make any alterations to the gardens, and they thus escaped the wholesale
destruction which overtook nearly all the old gardens in England at this period. Brown retained his
post under George III. and resided at Hampton Court for many years.
Plate 32 shows a plan of the gardens as they now exist. The carriage drive and principal entrance
are on the western side of the palace, and from this entrance we pass through the base court, fountain
court, and clock court, on to the centre of the east front, from which the three great avenues diverge.
Each avenue consists of four rows of lime trees and stretches across the Home Park, giving some long
and beautiful vistas. The Central Avenue encloses the Long Canal and extends about three-quarters of
a mile. It may be noted that one of the side avenues was so planned as to give a view of Kingston
Church tower.
On the eastern front of the palace, the Broad Walk extends a distance of nearly half a mile, from
1 The fountain was removed in 1712 to the position it now occupies in the centre of the round pond in Bushey Park.
J Only one of these pavilions remains at the present day.
eastward into the park, and laid out the great parterre in front of the palace. The plan of the Privy
Garden on Plate 33 is taken from an original survey in the Soane Museum, probably made under the
supervision of Sir Christopher Wren a little after this date. It does not show the fountain which
existed here until 1712.
There are several engravings of the gardens at this period, including one by Sutton Nicholls,
published about 1695, which shows the great Fountain Garden with grass lawns and scroll patterns in
box, together with a central fountain in a similar position to that which it still occupies, as well as other
smaller fountains and ponds. Another engraving of the Privy Garden shows what was probably the
arrangement just prior to the plan shown on Plate 33, that is to say, with the raised grass terrace
extending on all three sides, and the so-called "Diana" (really Arethusa), fountain in its original position
at the river end of the garden.1 Kip's view, published in the " Nouveau Theatre de la Grande Bretagne,"
1710, shows the gardens almost as they are indicated on the Soane plan (Plate 33), save that on the
south-east corner of this plan is a waste piece of ground, whilst Kip shows here a triangular pond. The
two drawings do not agree in a few other minor details. Kip also shows the design of the great
Fountain Garden with one principal and twelve minor fountains, the three grand avenues across the
park, and the pavilion terrace, overlooking the river, with the bowling-green and four pavilions.2
The new greenhouse shown on the Soane Museum plan and on Kip's view was built to house the
collection of rare plants formed by Queen Mary; it was divided into several rooms, each furnished with
a stove. The pond garden appears to have been used at this time as an orange garden, and the
smaller garden adjoining was called the auricular quarter.
When Sir Christopher Wren remodelled the palace, he made plans for a new entrance front on the
north side, and it was proposed to build a grand courtyard, between the palace and the Wilderness, with
a fine approach from the north. The only part of this magnificent scheme actually carried out was the
grand chestnut avenue across Bushey Park. One of the most interesting relics of the days of William
and Mary is the old wych-elm pleached alley, raised on a grass terrace overlooking the Privy Garden.
When Queen Anne came into possession of the palace the gardens were again remodelled, alterations
were made to the Fountain Garden, and all the box scrollwork of William and Mary was rooted up, plain
lawns being substituted. The gardens were again altered under William Kent, about 1736, in the early
days of the landscape-gardening movement. A plan engraved by J. Rocque shows the alterations then
carried out, with the great Fountain Garden in much the same state as at present. In 1750 Lancelot
Brown was appointed to the post of Royal Gardener, who fortunately, " out of respect to himself and his
profession," refused to make any alterations to the gardens, and they thus escaped the wholesale
destruction which overtook nearly all the old gardens in England at this period. Brown retained his
post under George III. and resided at Hampton Court for many years.
Plate 32 shows a plan of the gardens as they now exist. The carriage drive and principal entrance
are on the western side of the palace, and from this entrance we pass through the base court, fountain
court, and clock court, on to the centre of the east front, from which the three great avenues diverge.
Each avenue consists of four rows of lime trees and stretches across the Home Park, giving some long
and beautiful vistas. The Central Avenue encloses the Long Canal and extends about three-quarters of
a mile. It may be noted that one of the side avenues was so planned as to give a view of Kingston
Church tower.
On the eastern front of the palace, the Broad Walk extends a distance of nearly half a mile, from
1 The fountain was removed in 1712 to the position it now occupies in the centre of the round pond in Bushey Park.
J Only one of these pavilions remains at the present day.