54 



THE ORCHID WORLD. 



[April, 1915. 



GATTON PARK, SURREY. 



Mr. .1. Bat Ion Kent. 



Gallon House Jrom the Lawns. 



THERE are but few places in the south 

 of England, or, indeed, elsewhere, 

 that possess so many points of 

 interest or have such bcautilul surroundings 

 as Gatton Park, the seat of Sir Jeremiah 

 Colman, Bart. When in i8<S8 the property 

 was purchased b)- its present owner it was 

 destined to Vjecome the home of one of the 

 finest collections of Orchids, comprising, as it 

 does, an extremely rich assemblage of species 

 and hybrids, the former perhaps unequalled 

 in any other private garden. Considering 

 how frequently the name Gatton now shines 

 forth in the records of Orchidology, a few 

 brief details concerning its history and that 

 of its present owner may prove of interest, 

 for, as many will recollect. Sir Jeremiah is a 

 Vice-Chairman of the Royal Horticultural 



.Society's Orchid Coiuiiuttee, while amongst 

 his many other positions of honour may be 

 included that of Treasurer of the great 

 International Exhi!)ition, held at Chelsea, 

 iyi2. 



Gatton — the town 011 the Gate — is 

 described in Domesday Book, while Herfrid, 

 an early owner, was father of Hamo de 

 Gatton who fell at the Battle of Hastings. 

 In 1541.) Gatton was granted as an estate by 

 the Crown to Anne of Cleves after her 

 divorce from Henry MIL After passing 

 through various hands the property was 

 purchased in 1S30 by Lord Monson, who 

 spent a fortune upon it. The celebrated 

 Marble Hall follow;^ closely in design the 

 Corsini Chapel in the Basilica of St. John 

 Lateran, Rome, while adjoining the mansion 



