82 A HISTORY OF GARDENING IN ENGLAND 



probably remained unaltered in Henry VIII. 's reign, as there 

 is no mention of changes being made there. The gardens at 

 York Place, the Whitehall of later times, had been laid out by 

 Wolsey with great taste and care, and this place, like Hampton 

 Court, was also given over to the King. 



Towards the end of his reign, Henry VIII., having com- 

 pleted his alterations at Hampton Court, turned his attention 

 to laying-out and beautifying the grounds at Nonsuch, near 

 Ewell, in Surrey.^ He purchased the lands of Cuddington, in 

 1538, and there built a palace — 



" Which no equal has in art or fame ; 

 Britons deservedly do Nonsuche name." 



Another contemporary writer, describing the place, says of 

 it : " The Palace itself is so encompassed with parks, full of 

 deer, delicious gardens, groves ornamented with trellis work, 

 cabinets of verdure, and walks so embowered by trees, that it 

 seems to be a place pitched upon by Pleasure herself to dwell 

 in along with Health. "^ Henry VIII, never quite completed 

 Nonsuch, but it was held for a time by Henry FitzAlan, Earl 

 of Arundel, who continued to carry out the King's designs. 

 Queen Elizabeth, Anne, Queen of James L, and Henrietta 

 Maria, all paid visits to the place, but did not stay there for 

 long. The Parliamentary survey of the palace and gardens, 

 made in 1650, shows there were several walled gardens, divided 

 by thick thorn hedges, also alleys, a wilderness, and privy 

 garden, and a large kitchen-garden. There was also a terrace 

 in front of the house, and a " handsome bowling-green." The 

 whole was rather Italian in style, with many fountains and 

 statues. Charles II. gave the place to the Duchess of Cleve- 

 land, who pulled it down, and the destruction of this once 

 magnificent palace was completed by her grandson, the 

 Duke of Grafton, who cut down the trees and destroyed the 

 park.^ 



While such progress was being made in the decoration and 



^ Minister's Accounts, 31-32 Henry VIII., No. 10. Sir Ralph Sadler, 

 steward of the manor, received 4d. a day for the custody of " Gardin- 

 orum, Pomariorum ct ortorum." 



" Nichols, Progress of Queen Elizabeth. 



^ Camden's Britannia, ed. Gough, 1806. 



