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[2] Survey ground plan of the palace and its gardens to the north and south, but excluding the Fountain Garden on the east (cut off on the plan), c.1710-11
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Reference number
SM volume 111/40
Purpose
[2] Survey ground plan of the palace and its gardens to the north and south, but excluding the Fountain Garden on the east (cut off on the plan), c.1710-11
Aspect
Plan, orientated with the east side at the top of the sheet
Scale
100 feet to 1 19/20 inches (51 feet to 1 inch)
Inscribed
On verso, in pencil, in C19 hand, Gard
Signed and dated
- Undated, but datable c.1710-11
Medium and dimensions
Pen and brown ink over graphite under-drawing, with grey, grey-brown, brown and green washes Laid paper, in three joined sheets, trimmed in straight line at top and in stepped line at bottom, with repaired horizontal tears across left sheet; C20 tissue reinforcement on back, with white canvas reinforcement on backs of folds and repairs to torn and lost areas on left and right sides 654 x 1308
Hand
Henry Wise
Watermark
Strasbourg Lily / 4LVG and IHS / IVILLEDARY on each sheet
Notes
This drawing records the Privy Garden and the Wilderness and Grove gardens more or less as illustrated in Leonard Knyff's bird's-eye view of c.1702 (see Thurley, fig. 225). The Privy Garden had been extended south towards the river in 1699-1700; the Wilderness and Grove gardens were laid out at the same time. Knyff's drawing is important evidence for the appearance of the gardens before the Fountain Garden was altered in 1710-11. His view demonstrates that the two mazes in the wilderness on this plan were both in place in about 1702, the year of William's death. The trimming of the plan on the east side, close to the edge of park front, may have been done to remove an outdated plan of the Fountain Garden. The sheet is close in width to the larger survey plan at 111/39, but is about half its depth (i.e. on the west-east axis). The absence of any indication of the Lions' Gate at the entrance to the Wilderness places the drawing before 1714.
Literature
Thurley, Hampton Court, pp. 240-41 Wren Society, IV, pl. 2; Thurley, Hampton Court, fig. 211
Level
Drawing
Digitisation of the Drawings Collection has been made possible through the generosity of the Leon Levy Foundation
If you have any further information about this object, please contact us: drawings@soane.org.uk