President of Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society
The historic walled garden in Sunbury Park was most probably built in the early part of the 18th Century for the large mansion built on the site for Sir Roger Hudson and there is a drawing in Colin Campbell's 'Vitruvius Britannicus' showing the housing in Sunbury Park in 1714. For some time it was not certain whether this house had been built exactly in the manner shown, but research by the Sunbury and Shepperton Local History Society proved that the house was in fact built as depicted.
Walled gardens were a particular feature of the larger Georgian and Victorian Houses, and were used for the growing of high quality fruit and vegetables for the wealthy owner of the house and very often would have included a specialist range of greenhouses for the growing of peaches and grapes.
The Sunbury example is particularly fine, covering as it does some two acres with the original walls in many places being 8 to 10ft high.
It is known that a Tudor Manor House was built on the site for a courtier of Elizabeth I by the name Yetsweirt and the hearth return of 1664 shows that Sunbury House with 27 hearths was the largest housing in the village of Sunbury.
In 1851 the Arden family acquired the site and built a large double winged house, which eventually became dilapidated during World War II and was pulled down in 1946. Part of the site of the house can be seen in the wild garden to the west of the car park.
Adjoining as it does the historic Parish Church of St Mary's, the ancient walls of Sunbury Park and its walled garden form an area of great interest, and the restoration of the garden in such a unique and beautiful 18th century site, is a great asset to the district. Sunbury Walled Garden Plan
Sunbury Park was bought from private ownership by Surrey County Council in 1975 and was subsequently leased to Spelthorne Borough Council. A Management Plan was agreed between the two Authorities which included the development of the walled kitchen area as a formal garden. Work on the garden commenced in the autumn of 1985 following an original design by Mr G P Stancliffe, the Council's then Parks and Amenities Manager.
The garden has been designed on formal lines and includes various styles of garden types from past centuries, including knot gardens, parterres and a Victorian rose garden. There are also four large areas of island beds in which are displayed collections of plants from all parts of the world, and representing numerous plant families and species.
The knot garden is a style of gardening popular around the 15th and 16th centuries and the intricate inter-weaving of the dwarf hedges displays evidence of Italian influences on English gardens at that time. In a similar manner the French influences around the 17th century can be seen in the parterres, which are areas of geometrically designed flower beds, enclosed by clipped dwarf hedges.
The Victorian Rose garden is composed entirely of rose species and varieties which were either introduced or widely planted during the reign of Queen Victoria (1837-1901). Generally speaking, these roses have a shorter flowering period than our modern introductions, but are renowned for their classic flower form and strong fragrance. Varieties especially worthy of mention are the Bourbon Rose, Souvenir de la Malmaison and the Damask Rose, Marie Louise.
In contrast the modern rose garden contains many of the varieties which have proved to be firm favourites with the home gardener in recent years. Established roses like Peace and Iceberg are joined by the first ever 'Rose of the Year' Mountbatten, and a number of its successors.
One variety worthy of special note is Violet Squire, named after the wife of Mr D J Squire, of Squire's Roses, Shepperton, who very generously donated all the roses within this section.
The garden contains two architectural features of local interest and significance, the Lendy Memorial, and the 'portico' of the now demolished Benwell House. The Lendy Memorial is a re-creation of structure which until destroyed during World War II, stood on the riverside in Sunbury. The Benwell House 'portico' was preserved following the demolition of the house in 1984, and now frames the northern gate of the garden.
Throughout the development of the garden, natural materials have been used as far as possible, with brick edge paths being surfaced with 'Breedon gravel', quarried in Derbyshire, and rockery stones from Westmorland, Kent and the West Country.
Since its establishment, the garden has become a popular venue for exhibitions and band concerts, the latter being held on several Sunday afternoons throughout the Summer. It is also used for the annual Sunbury Fayre in early July. Toilet facilities are provided close by and a wheelchair can be borrowed for use by the less mobile.
