Gatton Hall seen across The Lake

Image: © Marathon Taken: 6 May 2018

In the 9th century "land at Gatetune" was gifted to Ethalwald, the son of Alfred the Great. William the Conqueror gave Gatton to his half-brother Odo, Bishop of Bayeux. In 1451, Henry VIth invited two members of Gatton to join Parliament as a reward to his steward - a privilege which lasted 380 years. In 1751 Sir James Colebrooke bought Gatton for £23,000 and sat in Parliament for the Borough in 1754 together with Thomas Brand. Gatton was one of the most rotten of the 'Rotten boroughs' sending two Members to Parliament until 1832 when the Reform Act became law and Gatton ceased to be a Borough. The Town Hall was built in 1765 and this was where the election 'results' were declared. Sir James Colebrooke employed Lancelot 'Capability' Brown to improve the park by creating 'natural' views with a number of lakes, including The Lake seen here. The estate was bought by Lord Monson in 1830 and he reconstructed Gatton Hall on a grander scale. In 1888 the estate was bought by Jeremiah Colman, owner of the Colman Mustard Company. He became a global expert on orchids and among his additions to the park were the Japanese Garden and the Rock Garden. Gatton Hall was largely destroyed in a disastrous fire in 1934 and Jeremiah Colman subsequently restored it. It is now a school.

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