Volume 1

The Farington diary / edited by James Greig.

  • Joseph Farington
Date:
[1922?-1928]
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The Farington diary / edited by James Greig. Source: Wellcome Collection.

    41/464 (page 9)
    The late Mr. Garricks House & Temple &c., make a very pleasing assemblage. Of these I made a sketch.—Immediately beyond Mr. Garricks is the Town of Hampton, a straggling, ill-built, exposed village; which is a very unpleasing contrast to the sheltered, secluded & elegant appearance of Mr., now Mrs. Garricks villa.—Opposite to Hampton is a large Plain or Common called Moulsey Hurst [now Hurst Park race¬ course]. This we passed over, and went on towards Sunbury. On the side of the River we were now upon there are no Houses but at a considerable distance, but we commanded the whole line built on the opposite Bank. A little short of Sunbury is a very large Brick House, with stone decorations. It formerly belonged to Lord Demsets family, & was lately purchased with ioo Acres of Land included for £12000, from a Mrs. - by Mr, Richardson, a gentleman who made a fortune in the East Indies.—Sunbury makes a pretty appearance from hence, but the view altogether is very flat.—Extensive common, or waste ground, continuing on the Surrey side the River. We proceeded on to Walton Bridge, or rather Bridges, there being two distinct from each other. On the Surrey side Lord Tankerville has a villa, and pleasant grounds, which come up to the Bridge, and are only separated from the Park of Oatlands by the High road leading to the Bridge. At the end of the Bridge, on the other side the River, is a single good-looking White House which belongs to a Merchant of London. A Historic House The Park of Oatlands rises considerably above the flat country through which the River passes, and is very well wooded. The House is not seen from this part, being situated more than a mile from the Bridge and hidden by trees. The Duchess of York resides here almost constantly during the Dukes absence with the Army in Flanders.— The Park was open to all the neighbours formerly to ride or walk in, but the Duke has refused this indulgence. October 30.—Rode to St. George’s Hill, about 1 mile and half from Walton Bridge at the back of Oatlands Park.—Sr. Henry Fletchers has a House and grounds at the end of Walton. It was formerly Col1. Stevensons. It joins Oatlands Park. St. Georges Hill is a consider¬ able rising in a rude and coarse Heath. From this situation there is a most extensive command of the country on every side. St. Anns Hill—Coopers Hill—Windsor,—and sweeping round also Hampton Court, Richmond Hill, (which intersepts St. Pauls so that it cannot be seen)—come into the view.—But the foreground of this Landscape being barren & brown Heath it is only for an extensive command of distance that it can be pleasing.—From St. Georges Hill we descended to that gate of Oatlands Park which is placed on the Weybridge side. We should not have been admitted, so strict are the orders, but by