312 LONDON PARKS & GARDENS 
in 1669, given to the Royal Society, but the buildings 
were too dilapidated for them to use. To Sir Stephen 
Fox is probably due the idea of founding a hospital 
for disabled soldiers, although tradition also attributes 
some of the credit to Nell Gwynn, who is said to 
have appealed to Charles II. on their behalf. The King 
laid the foundation-stone, on the 12th of March 1682, 
of the building designed by Wren. John Evelyn, as 
one of the Council of the Royal Society, had been 
consulted when the idea was first mooted, and in 
January 1682 he notes in his Diary a talk on the 
subject with Sir Stephen Fox, who asked for Evelyn’s 
assistance with regat 
'd to the $t< 
i (f and management. 
So in Sir Stephen • 
• :vVV. . 
writes,’ 44 We 
arranged the r *« 
r ; a . w e, : 
*v i rd , housekeeper, 
chirurgeoncouk, b t 
jiTa., gardene 
:r, porter, and other 
• '-r . t. h \*{ V ’■:* ...( 
:ver;d salaries 
and entertamments.” 
•importance of the Garden 
der, as the grounds occupied 
twenty-six acres- A survey w-:. n 1702 shows 
how this space was divide.;;L The largest - part, lying 
to the north of the H.vpv.il, is what is now known 
as 44 Burton’s Court/’ and is used as a recreation ground 
for the soldiers in the barracks near, and a cricket 
ground for the brigade of Guards. The avenue down 
the central walk, 44 planted with limes and chestnuts,” 
was ' 'T a vie early design, and 44 IT vat /icenue ” 
is a coiv it, Queen Anne having, it is said, 
intended v ■ it on to Kensington. This part, 
called 44 theh;V::W -art north of the buildings,” occupied 
owr thirteen w: The rest was divided into grass 
JATI 320 H A 32 J 3 HD ,.II 23 J.HAHD 30 3 UTAT 2 
three . ; the 44 garden on the east, now the gover- 
