Fetcham Park, Surrey, England

Fetcham Park House is a Queen Anne mansion designed by the English architect William Talman with internal murals by the renowned artist Louis Laguerre and grounds originally landscaped by George London. It is located in the parish of Fetcham in Surrey.

Construction of the present mansion began in 1699 although a reference in the Domesday survey suggests that there was already then a house at Fetcham Park. The house is built of red brick in Flemish bond with dressings of Portland stone, sandstone and terracotta with a slate roof and brick chimneys. The floor plan is rectangular under a 2-span roof with extensions at both ends and an added bay to the east front. The house is constructed in two and a half storeys over cellars, with an original west front of 8 bays, with additions of 1 bay to the left and 2 bays to the right and features a mix of both mansard and gambrel roofing. It is a Grade II* listed building, the second highest ranking

History

The mansion known as FETCHAM PARK is said to have been built by one of the Vincent family, by whom it was sold to Arthur Moore the famous economist and politician, who in 1718 enlarged the property and planted the park; but his profuse expenditure more than exceeded his means, and he died in 1730 'broken in all respects but in his parts and spirit.' The property was put up for sale by his son William Moore, under the description of 'The mansion house and offices of the late Arthur Moore, Esq., decd., being a beautifull building from the design of the late Mr. Tollmen, consisting of many rooms on a floor, a large hall and staircase, painted by the late famous Laguerre, with a saloon and gallery, and several other rooms finely painted by the same hand, particularly one wainscoted with japan, with Tartarian tapestry silk. Together with the gardens and park, containing by estimation about 100 acres, the whole being finely adorned with canalls, basins, statues, vases, iron gates, pallisades, etc., and laid out in the most elegant manner; with three ponds, containing the space of six acres, in which are several clear and deep springs, which by large engines serve the canalls, basins, reservoirs, etc., and furnish the house with water convey'd in strong leaden pipes.' It was purchased by Thomas Revell, agent victualler at Gibraltar and member for Dover in 1734, 1741, and 1747, and on his death in 1752 his immense wealth was inherited by his only daughter Jane, who married George Warren, of Poynton, co. Chester, afterwards created K.B. Their daughter and heir, Elizabeth Harriet, in 1777 married Viscount Bulkeley,but in 1788 joined with her father in the sale of this estate to John Richardson. Shortly after it was sold to Thomas Hankey, a London banker, whose great-grandson, Mr. John Barnard Hankey came to inherit it.

Before his death in 1793 Thomas Hankey added two curved wings at the north and south ends of the house. By 1875 John Hankey inherited the property and commissioned a major refurbishment by the respected architect Edward I'Anson. This was designed to alter the appearance of the house and brought French and Flemish influences to the original Queen Anne design and the later Georgian additions. I’Anson’s legacy includes the mansard roof and typical Flemish turreted tower block on the west side, providing an entrance hall and two rooms above, and a two storey wing at the south end of the house

Captain George Hankey was the last of the family to live in the house, dying there in October 1924. Many members of the Hankey family are buried in the graveyard adjoining Fetcham Park.

The house remained empty for two years until it was acquired by the Reverend James Wilkie, Rector of the Parish of Badingham in Suffolk. Land to the east and south was sold for a housing development but the Rev Wilkie turned the mansion into a boys’ boarding school called Badingham College. Internal alterations were made and new buildings were added in the grounds, now less than 30 acres (120,000 m2).

The school thrived until its founder died in 1965, when more land was sold, leaving the mansion with four and a quarter acres. The house was badly neglected in the next few years, being "argued over, fought about and discussed but not occupied" (Surrey Villages, Pitt and Shaw, 1971). In 1979 the then derelict building was sold for £775,000 to a company called United Trading Group, which spent around £4 million returning it to its former splendour. False walls concealing Laguerre’s stair and hall paintings were removed and his artwork sensitively restored after the ravages of Victorian over-embellishment, smoke damage from a fire and damp from a leaking roof.

The 1980–81 alterations included an extension to the second floor and the addition of catering facilities in the basement. Two of the rooms on the ground floor east side were panelled in oak and mahogany and the Shell Room, with its magnificent ceiling painting, was among those where the plasterwork, gilding and architectural details were painstakingly restored. The first and second floors were redecorated and adorned with mainly French antique furniture and some fine paintings. The grounds were replanted and ponds and illuminated fountains were created. During the renovation, the discovery of underground tunnels at the front of the house led to speculation about their history but they were later found to be Second World War air raid shelters.

UTG House, as it was then known, was sold in 1986 and renamed Fetcham Park House before being sold, with its contents, to local property investors The Wilky Group Ltd in 1999.

Today

Fetcham Park House is currently operated as serviced office space but presents essentially the same face to the world as it did three centuries ago.

In November 2011, Fetcham Park was launched as a luxurious wedding and events venue by Parallel Venues. The house is available for exclusive use during most weekends and public holidays throughout the year and is licensed for civil ceremonies.

The house featured in the 2013 film Diana, which chronicles the life of Diana, Princess of Wales. Its Salon and Drawing Room represented the Imperial Suite at the Paris Ritz