The Digital Ark: Early Modern Collections of Curiosities in England and Scotland, 1580-1700
Sayes Court
Deptford (Settlement), Kent (County [UK]), England
View Larger MapDescription of institution: Evelyn's estate and famous garden.
Evelyn moved from Wotton to take residence at Sayes Court in 1651 and, after the Restoration, managed to obtain a 99-year lease from Charles II in 1663. He rebuilt and expanded the house and built his very garden.
A detailed map of 1653 sets out his ambitious plan for the garden which included, to the west of the house, Evelyn’s private, walled garden "of choice flowers, and simples" arranged in beds surrounding a large fountain; on the north-west corner was an arbour under two tall elms as well as the transparent glass bee-hives he received as a gift from John Wilkins. The rest of the garden was on a much grander scale, featuring a long terrace walk overlooking an elaborate parterre, a large grove planted with many species of trees with walks and recesses, a large kitchen garden, a large orchard of fruit trees, avenues and hedges of ash, elm, and holly, and a long walk or promenade from a banquet house on the south wall of the garden down to an ornamental lake with an island, fruit bushes, and summer house at the north end.
After Evelyn moved back to Wotton in 1694, the estate deteriorated under the administration of his tenant, Captain Benbow and his sub-letter in 1698, Tsar Peter of Russia.
After Evelyn's death in 1706 Sayes Court was held in trust for his grandson, Sir John Evelyn, Baronet.
URL:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayes_Court Images linked to this location:
People associated with this location: Benbow, John (10 Mar 1653-4 Nov 1702) - Residence at
Browne, Mary (c.1635-1709) - Residence at
Evelyn, John (1620-1706) - Residence at
Peter the Great of Russia (9 Jun 1672-8 Feb 1725) - Residence at