IMAGES TAKEN NEAR TO
Gatton Park Road, REDHILL, RH1 2EA

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 dissatrous fire in 1934 and Jeremiah Colman subsequently restored it. It is now a school.

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.

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. It is seen here in the distance across The Lake - one of Capability Brown's features.

One of the main features of the Capability Brown designed parkland of Gatton Park, with Gatton Hall in the background (see Image).

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 VI 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. The largest of these is The Lake seen here from the Parterre in front of Gatton Hall. The view in the other direction can be seen at http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/5773905 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.

Junction between the A242 Croydon Road, leading away from the photographer's position towards Reigate, with the A23 London Road, running from left to right. Although now the minor of the two roads, the Merstham to Reigate route along Croydon Road is in fact the earlier of the two, opened as a turnpike in 1808 as an alternative route from London to Reigate from that via Sutton over Reigate Hill. The branch to the left followed 10 years later, bypassing Reigate in its entirety, with the easier route leading to this becoming the main route from London to Brighton.