History on your doorstep: 3. Homewood Park

Welcome to the eighth in my new series. This time I’m showcasing my top ten favourite historical stories and features, selected from our ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’ directory.

At number 3 is Homewood Park in Surrey…

The Grade II listed Palladian mansion at Homewood Park dates from c.1765 and was built by the architect who designed number 10 Downing Street.

Source: Chertsey Museum

In 1931 Surrey County Council purchased the building and transformed it into Botleys Park Hospital for patients with psychiatric disorders. During World War II the patients were relocated and the hospital specialised in wounded soldiers. By the end of the war Botleys had become a nurses home and remained so until 1994 when it was seriously damaged by a fire. In 2010 the mansion reopened as a popular venue for weddings and events.

Botleys, credit: Martin D’Arcy

Surrey has the highest tree-density of any English county and some fine veteran English Oaks lend a noble air to Homewood Park.

Did you know…?
After the Dutch navy invaded England in 1667, King Charles II gave permission to chop down any tree in the realm in order to build the world’s biggest navy. Oak trees such as the ones now growing in Homewood Park were ‘harvested’. Only parish boundary oaks were spared. It took 2,000 oaks and 150 elms to build one man-o-war!

For directions, information and more photographs, go to the Homewood Park entry in ‘Greenspace on your doorstep’.

Warden Mike

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