Wotton

Church Road

St.John the Evangelist’s church.  On a knoll avenue of chestnuts. The church is near an ancient droveway to the Weald – and stands on a spur overlooking a stretch of the Downs.  Excavations have found thick walls of a former church which had been burnt down and was probably late Saxon. Above this a small rubble church had ben built which lined to the present church tower- and this was extended as time went on. The tiny heads over the door refer to interdict of Pope Innocent III in 1213.  Horsham slate roof.  It is is in the Early English style with Tudor arches and has a Norman tower with three bells. The church contains the tomb of John Evelyn, the essayist, who died February 1706. (think it might be his son, and the head was stolen in the 1990s).  

Guildford Road

Wotton Hatch Hotel. Fuller Smith and Turner tied house in 1970s

Sheephouse Lane

Start of a long drove road which goes down to Leith Hill and Oakwood in Surrey.  It climbs the sandstone ridges as an unmetalled trackway.  Wotton Manor held a subordinate chapel at Oakwood and the whole system is related to sheep and swine pastures held by settlements on the downs.

Wooton House Estate

Wotton House, the residence of Mrs. Evelyn and consists of an irregular mass of things interesting as having been the birthplace of the great diarist and author of Sylva on 31 October 1620. Evelyn born ther. Attractive house.  Now Fire Service College (1950s)  The mansion is pleasantly situated in the valley and surrounded by plantations, with a stream flowing near it

Wotton had been acquired by George Evelyn in 1579 – he was a gunpowder manufacturer.  His younger son Richard succeeded and expanded the business followed by less enthusiasm by his son George, brother of the diarist.

Some of the garden remains intact.  20 acres of parkland featuring Italian garden created in 1640 by George Evelyn and designed by his brother John the eminent designer and diarist. Terraced mount, classical garden, temple statuary, tortoise house and grottoes. Recently restored and held to be the first example of an Italian style garden in England

Tortoise House. Folly plus terrapin pool

Ice House This is situated in the bank, close to where the footpath from Friday Street, which passes to the east of the ponds in Wotton House grounds,  turns to the right just above the house.

Gunpowder mill . traces have been found of 17th century wire mills and gunpowder mills connected to Wotton House. During the early part of the 17th century the works comprised a copper mill for converting copper ingots into brass, and a wire works for turning the brass into goods such as chains, fish hooks and curtain rings.