i8 
HATFIELD HOUSE, HERTFORDSHIRE. 
PLATES 24, 25, 26. 
magnificent home of the Cecil family was built by Robert Cecil, the first Earl 
of Salisbury, who, having exchanged the estate of Theobalds with James I. for 
that of Hatfield, commenced building his new mansion in 1605, soon after becoming 
possessed of the property, partly on the site of the palace of the former Bishops of 
Ely. Thanks to judicious restoration of the fabric as necessity arose, Hatfield House 
as we see it to-day presents much of its original appearance. It stands surrounded 
by gardens in the midst of one of the most beautiful parks in England, watered by 
the River Lea, with fine stretches of open grass-land and many grand old trees, including Queen 
Elizabeth’s oak, around it. Originally there were two parks, one for red and one for fallow deer, and in 
one of these was the vineyard planted by the first Earl of Salisbury. 1 This experiment of vine-growing, 
however, met with little success, and after being carried on for a few years was discontinued. Now no 
trace of the old vineyard exists. Adjoining this vineyard, and on the banks of a stream, was a small 
garden laid out by one Mountain Jennings, gardener to the first Earl, in connection with which a 
Frenchman, Simon Sturtivant, planned some elaborate waterworks, which were never executed owing 
to the Earl’s death in 1614. 2 
Solomon de Caux designed a jet d'eau for the gardens, with a statue of Neptune, which was made 
of marble at a cost of ;£i 13. John Tradescant, the well-known botanist and traveller, succeeded Jennings 
as head gardener, and made the gardens famous for the many new plants he introduced from abroad. 
The principal approach to the house is by a double avenue leading to a large square gravel 
courtyard on the north front, but the original approach is on the west side, through the old palace 
courtyard. Plate 26 shows the gardens as they are seen from the broad terrace on the east side of the 
mansion, gradually sloping down to the edge of the lake, and from this terrace a double flight of steps 
leads to the parterre, which is arranged in two patterns with the initial letters S and B (Salisbury and 
Burleigh), designed on the lines of those in the old Jacobean garden. From this level a few steps lead 
to the bowling-green, which, together with the maze beyond, is of recent formation. Beyond the maze, 
and parallel to it, is a pergola overlooking a small sunken garden, enclosed by hedges on three sides. 
On the south side of the house wing walls enclose a gravel courtyard, but beyond these the 
forecourt extends into the park, surrounded by a pierced balustrade, and with pavilions at the four angles. 
To the south-west is the shrubbery, about five acres in extent, and beyond are the glass-houses, kitchen 
and fruit gardens, covering about twelve acres. 
The gardens on the west side are in some respects the most interesting. The Privy or Queen’s 
garden and the rose garden originally belonged to the old palace; the former is about 250 feet square, 
having a very fine pleached lime alley on all sides, and in the centre a parterre surrounded by a low 
hedge. In the middle of the parterre is a fountain pond, as shown on Plate 24, and at either corner still 
remain the mulberry trees which were placed here by James I., who had planted four acres of these trees 
at Westminster in his endeavour to promote the cultivation of silk in this country. Westward of the 
Privy garden, and at a rather lower level, is another garden with two quadrant-shaped lawns, surrounded 
1 The vine had been cultivated here at an earlier period by the Bishops of Ely. 
3 “ A History of Gardening in England,” by the Honourable Alicia Amherst. 
