Master info

Born into a family whose wealth was
largely founded on gun powder
production, John Evelyn was born in
Wotton, Surrey, and grew up in the
Sussex town of Lewes. He was educated
at Balliol College, Oxford and at the
Middle Temple. While in London, he
witnessed important events such as
the execution of Thomas Wentworth,
Earl of Strafford. Having briefly joined
the Royalist army, he went abroad to
avoid further involvement in the
English Civil War. He travelled in Italy,
attending anatomy lectures in Padua in
1646 and sending the Evelyn Tables
back to London. In 1644, Evelyn visited
the English College at Rome, where
Catholic priests were trained for service
in England. In the Veneto he renewed
his acquaintance with the Collector
Earl of Arundel and toured the art
collections of Venice with Arundel's
son and heir. He acquired an ancient
Egyptian stela and sent a sketch back
to Rome which was published by
Athanasius Kircher in his Oedipus
Aegyptiacus (1650), though to Evelyn's
annoyance, without acknowledgement
to him
Evelyn as painted by Robert Walker, 1648.

In 1694 Evelyn moved back to
Wotton, Surrey because his elder brother
George had no living sons available to
inherit the estate. Evelyn inherited the
estate and the family seat
Wotton House on the death of his
brother in 1699. Sayes Court was
made available for rent. Its most notable
tenant was Russian tsar Peter the Great
who lived there for three months in
1698 (and did great damage to both
house and grounds). The house no
longer exists, but a public park of the
same name can be found off Evelyn
Street.
Evelyn died in 1706 at his house in
Dover Street, London. Wotton House
and estate were inherited by his
grandson John (1682–1763) later
Sir John Evelyn, bart.
Portrait of John Evelyn by Sir Godfrey Knellerr, 1687

The house was built in the early 17th
century by the Evelyn family who
extended it in the later 17th century.
In the 18th century it was extended
eastwards by William Kent. Further
extensions and alterations were made
in the early 19th century by Francis
Edwards. Following a fire in the 1870s
the house was restored and enlarged
by Henry Woodyer for
William John Evelyn in 1877.
Wotton House and estate was the later passed down to Evelyn's great-great-grandson Sir Frederick Evelyn
3 rd Bt,The baronetcy next passed to Frederick Evelyn's cousins, Sir John Evelyn, 4 th Bt and Sir Hugh Evelyn
5 th Bt, both these two were of unsound mind and the estate was therefore left to a remote cousin descended
from the diarist's grandfather's first marriage, in whose family it remains to this day though they no longer
occupy the house.
The title died out in 1848. However, there are many living descendants of John Evelyn the diarist via his
daughter Susanna, Mrs William Draper, and his granddaughter Elizabeth, Mrs Simon Harcourt. There are
also many living descendants of his great-grandson Charles Evelyn, who was the grandfather of the last
baronet, Sir Hugh Evelyn, 5th Bt

Building History
• The Manor of Wotton was first documented in
1086. The name literally means ‘the farm by the
wood’ from the early Saxon words wudu and tum.
The house itself was noted in the Domesday Book
as a moated Manor House. It had many owners
before being acquired by Sir David Owen, related
to the Tudor family and Henry VII. It remained
the property of the Owen family throughout the
reigns of Henry VIII and Edwards VI and Mary
until, during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I, the
estate and buildings were purchased by George
Evelyn, in 1579.
• George had a large family - sixteen sons and
eight daughters issuing from two marriages. His
heir at Wotton was the only son of his second
marriage. Richard. Richard Evelyn was a man of
some style. At one time (as High Sheriff) he
employed one hundred and sixteen servants who
were dressed in green livery. The doublet and
hose were of satin and their hats were trimmed
with white feathers and silver braid.
• The family business in George’s time was
gunpowder making, for which they enjoyed the
grant of a royal monopoly. Until this time all
gunpowder was brought in from Europe, so this
made for a very lucrative business. The Evelyn’s,
therefore, employed most of the local villagers,
either in various Surrey gunpowder mills or in the
house. Richard died in 1640 leaving the estate to
his eldest son George. Richard’s second son was
John, the famous diarist, who was born here on
31st October 1620. He later inherited Wotton
House at the age of 79 upon his brother’s death.
•John wrote of Wotton “… The house is large
… and so sweetly environ ‘d those many
delicious streams and venerable woods, as in
the judgement of strangers, as well as
Englishmen, it may he compared to one of the
most tempting and pleasant seates in the
Nation.”

• John Evelyn was also a famous botanist and
tree expert. He was enthusiastically in favour of
reforestation to make good losses due to heavy
timber consumption made by the ship building,
iron smelting and charcoal industries. He had
many books published in his lifetime, several on
the subject of trees and gardens. He designed
at least part of the gardens at Wotton, with
some help from his brother George, in an
Italian style, revolting against Tudor formalism.
• Extensive alterations were made to the original
house in the second half of the 17th Century,
and the house and grounds have continued to
be altered and improved periodically ever since.
• The front of the house gives the appearance of
a Tudor or Jacobean Mansion, but in reality this
façade is a Victorian creation, carried out by
William John Evelyn in the last half of the 19th
Century. W J Evelyn also kept a menagerie near
the House, including Kangaroos, which
eventually escaped in the direction of Leith Hill.
• W J Evelyn’s only son John succeeded him in
1908 and died in 1922. His older son C J A
Evelyn, known as Jack, followed on, until
inheritance by his nephew Mr Patrick Evelyn in
1965, who remains the present estate owner
and Lord of the Manor of Wotton.
• After the Second World War, Wotton House was
used as a Fire Service College for thirty years.
After that it became a BT training centre until
1986. It then remained vacant awaiting
refurbishment until its Lease was acquired by
Hayley Conference Centres in 2000

Garden Features
Entrance Drive and Forecourt
The general arrangement of a straight
driveway approaching from the north is
indicated on 17 th century sketches by John
Evelyn and John Aubrey. The flank walls
to the drive and the buildings which form
the sides of the entrance date from a later
period.
Late 17 th Century watercolour of Wotton by John Aubrey
Irish Garden
The Irish garden formally part of the park
lying to the north of the house and was
incorporated into the gardens in the late
19 th century. The garden is enclosed on the
north, east and west sides, with a fountain
basin which survives in the centre
constructed between 1872 and 1896. There
are some fine trees in this area, notably a
plane tree in the south-east corner.
Photograph taken for publication in Country Life Illustrated, dated 1898

Canalised Course of the Tillingbourne
The River Tillingbourne flows along the north
side of the house and may have formed a part of
the moat around the original manor. The
southern arm of the river was filled in with
spoil when the mount was constructed. The
channel is now revetted in stone and forms an
attractive feature which separates the house
from the gardens to the north.
Grotto, Pool and Pulhamite Stonework
Following the course of the Tillingbourne
down the eastern side of the house, there are
considerable areas of Pulhamite stonework
along its banks, including a narrow bridge. The
brick wall with half-round clay tiles appears on
photographs of 1898 and continues along the
terrace on the south of the house. There is a
substantial Pulhamite grotto on the eastern
bank of the stream and a pool in the corner of
the house terrace, also revetted with rockwork.
Pulhamite is a patent render system developed
by James Pulham in the mid 19 th century. It is
used either in combination with real boulders
and brickwork, or as a complete substitute, to
create artificial rockwork.
Photo taken from the Irish garden of the River Tillingbourne 2009
Photograph taken for publication in Country Life Illustrated, dated 1898

Eastern area of the Garden
A small fountain basin dating from the early
20 th century lies to the east of the stream,
surrounded by what may have been the tiled
floor of a small greenhouse. This floor has
been gravelled over to protect the tiles from
the elements. The alignment of the brick wall
which currently forms the eastern and
southern boundaries of the garden
corresponds with a wall shown on one of
John Evelyn's sketches. It is possible to walk
along the eastern bank of the stream and to
cross to the western side above a small
cascade.
Eastern lawn fountain basin, photo taken 2009
Terrace and Main Garden to the South of the
House
The terrace on the south side of the house was
shown lying between the house and the moat on
John Evelyn‟s drawing of the garden in 1640. The
moat was later filled in and the present terrace is a
19 th century restoration. The wide axial path linking
the house to the temple is similar to the original
design but is also a 19 th century restoration.
“A Rude Draft of Wotton garden before my Bro: altered it and as it was 1640”, by John Evelyn

The Fountain
The fountain was originally designed as the
centrepiece of the 17 th century parterre. The
basin is more recent. A photograph of 1898
shows the fountain from the rockwork and
conch shells. The leat feeding the fountain has
remained from the original garden and can be
seen on the eastern side of the mount.
Mount and Temple
The mount was carved into terraces from the
end of a hill by George Evelyn in1652. The
temple, built to the designs of Capt. George
Evelyn in 1649 has been substantially
restored. The statues of the Four Seasons
which stand either side of the upper steps to
the mount appear on the 1898 photographs,
and probably date from the Victorian period.
From the top of the mount the remains of the
walled kitchen gardens can be seen beyond
the drive to the north east.
Photographs taken for publication in Country Life Illustrated, dated 1898

Remains of Greenhouse and Fernery
Neither of the greenhouses constructed
between 1872 and 1896 at the western end of
the terrace have survived intact. Rockwork
from the western most building has survived,
probably from an elaborate fernery. Beyond
this is more Pulhamite. The whole area is
likely to have been constructed at the same
time as the eastern grotto.
Walled Garden and Tortoise House
Photograph taken for publication in Country Life Illustrated, dated 1898
A rectangular enclosure is shown on a survey of
1818. The Tortoise house and pool is first shown
on the Ordinance Survey map of 1914 within the
walled enclosure. The rectangular pool was built
for terrapins not tortoises. It contained a rock
pile to enable them to bask clear of the water
and a fountain spout within the rockwork.
The Wire Works Pond
To the west of the house lay the wire works
pond which was completely removed between
1840 and 1872. it was part of the considerable
amount of industry which used to be carried
out along the course of the now gentle
Tillingbourne stream.
3 rd Edition Ordnance Survey Map, dated 1914

The family business in George‟s time was gunpowder making, for which they enjoyed the grant of a royal monopoly.
Until this time all gunpowder was brought in from Europe, so this made for a very lucrative business. The Evelyns
therefore, employed most of the local villagers, either in various Surrey gunpowder mills or in the house. Richard died
in 1640 leaving the estate to his eldest son George. Richard‟s second son was John, the famous diarist, who was born
here on 31 st October 1620. He later inherited Wotton House at the age of 79 upon his brother‟s death.
John wrote of Wotton “…The house is large…and so sweetly environ „d those many delicious streams and venerable
woods, as in the judgement of strangers, as well as Englishmen, it may he compared to one of the most tempting and
pleasant seates in the Nation.”
John Evelyn was also a famous botanist and tree expert. He was enthusiastically in favour of reforestation to make good
losses due to heavy timber consumption made by the ship building, iron smelting and charcoal industries. He had many
books published in his lifetime, several on the subject of trees and gardens. He designed at least part of the gardens at
Wotton, with some help from his brother George, in an Italian style, revolting against Tudor formalism.
Extensive alterations were made to the original house in the second half of the 17th Century, and the house and grounds
have continued to be altered and improved periodically ever since. The front of the house gives the appearance of a
Tudor or Jacobean Mansion, but in reality this façade is a Victorian creation, carried out by William John Evelyn in the
last half of the 19th Century. W J Evelyn also kept a menagerie near the house, including Kangaroos, which eventually
escaped in the direction of Leith Hill.
W J Evelyn‟s only son John succeeded him in 1908 and died in 1922. His older son C J A Evelyn, known as Jack
followed on, until inheritance by his nephew Mr Patrick Evelyn in 1965, who remains the present estate owner and Lord
of the Manor of Wotton.
“The South or Front of Wotton Place…”
By W. Bray, dated 1813

After the second World War, Wotton House was
used as a Fire Service College for thirty years.
After that it became a BT training centre until
1986. It then remained vacant awaiting
refurbishment until its lease was acquired by
Hayley Conference Centres in 2000.
In May 2007 Principal Hotels acquisitioned
Hayley Conference Centres, the company
announced that it has re-branded as 'Principal
Hayley Hotels and Conference Venues'. CEO
Tony Troy commented “At Principal Hayley we
pride ourselves on meeting the diverse
requirements of all our customers. We are
expanding and developing as a company and
our vision is to be the best upper 4 and 5 star
hotel and conference venue group across
Europe.”
The Principal Hayley portfolio currently
includes 24 contemporary and luxurious
properties offering a combined capacity of over
3000 bedrooms, 400 meeting rooms and the
ability to host over 20,000 delegates per day.
Restoration of Wotton House 2001