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. 1 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.” 2 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 I., 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. 3 
While such progress was being made in the decoration and 
1 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 et ortorum.” 
2 Nichols, Progress of Queen Elizabeth. 
3 Camden’s Britannia , ed, Gough, 1806. 
