1 62 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 



" Methought, when first I entered, 

 Such splendours round me shone, 

 Into a world I ventured 

 Where rose another sun." 



The site of these Gardens, which covered some twelve 

 acres with groves, avenues, dining-halls, the famous 

 Rotunda and caverns, cascades and pavilions, is now all 

 built over. It lay about as far to the south-east of 

 Vauxhall Bridge as the little Park is to the south-west. 

 In name Vauxhall sounds quaint and un-English. In 

 earlier times it was known as Foxhall, or more correctly 

 Foukeshall, from Foukes de Breant, who married a sister 

 of Archbishop Baldwin in the latter half of the twelfth 

 century. 



The land of the present Park was purchased in May 

 1889.^ Then it was covered by houses standing in 

 their own grounds. The largest of these was Carroun 

 or Caroone House, which had been built by Sir Noel de 

 Caron, who was Ambassador of the Netherlands for 

 thirty-three years, during the reigns of Elizabeth and 

 James I. — the others, a row of eight with gardens, were 

 known as " The Lawn." In front of them was a long 

 pond, said to have been fed by the Effra River. This 

 stream, which rose in Norwood and flowed into the 



1 As Vauxhall is not included in Lieut. -Col. Sexby's exhaustive book, 

 the following details are not very accessible. It was bought from Mr. 

 Cobeldick for ^43,500. 



Made up by Lambeth Vestry ^^ 11,746 17 6 



„ Charity Commissioners . . . 12,500 o o 



„ London County Council . . . 11,746 17 6 



„ Donations and other sources . 7,506 5 o 



^43,500 o o 



The fencing and laying out was done by the Kyrle Society. The Park 

 was opened by the present King and Queen, July 7, 1890. 



