Murder Mystery Weekend - Saturday 3rd & Sunday 4th October 2009

Wotton House was first documented in 1086. The name literally means 'the farm by the wood' from early Saxon words, wudu and tum. The house itself was noted in the Domesday Book as a moated Manor House.

This grand country house is set in 20 acres of idyllic gardens. Including two secret grottos, two temples, a fountain and sparkling streams with many pretty bridges set within the 300 acre Wotton Estate.

Today, meticulously converted and extended, it is renowned as a leading venue for business and leisure and is within easy reach of the M25, Heathrow and Gatwick.

The Manor of 'Odetone' was first documented in 1086. The name literally means 'the farm by the wood' from the early Saxon words wudu and tun. The house itself was noted in the doomsday book as a moated Manor House which had many owners before being acquired by Sir David Owen, Grandfather of Henry VII. It remained the property of the Owen family throughout the reigns of Henry VIII and Edward VI until, during the reign Queen Elizabeth I, the estate and buildings were purchased by one George Evelyn.

George had quite a family - sixteen sons and eight daughters issuing from two marriages. Unfortunately, only one son survived - Richard. Richard Evelyn was a man of some style. At one time he employed one hundred and sixteen servants who were dressed in green livery. The doublet and hose were of satin and their hats were trimmed with white feathers and silver braid.

The family business was gunpowder making, for which they enjoyed the grant of a royal monopoly. Until this time all gunpowder was brought in from Europe, so this made for a very lucrative business. The Evelyns, therefore, employed most of the local villagers, either in the factory or in the house. Richard died in 1640 leaving the estate to his eldest son George. The youngest son was John, the famous diarist, who was born here on 31 October 1620. He later inherited Wotton House at the age of 79 upon his brother's death.

John wrote of Wotton "...The house is large ... and so sweetly environ'd those many delicious streames, and venerable Woods, as in the judgement of strangers, as well as Englishmen, it may be compared to one of the most tempting and pleasant seates in the Nation."

John Evelyn was also a famous botanist and tree expert, and was enthusiastically in favour of reforestation after the devastation of the countryside during the Civil War. He had many books published in his lifetime, several on the subject of trees and gardens. He designed the elaborate gardens at Wotton, with some help from his brother George, in an informal style, revolting against Tudor formalism.

Extensive alterations were made to the original house in the second half of the 17th century, and the house and grounds have continued to be altered and improved periodically ever since. The front of the house gives the appearance of a Tudor or Jacobean Mansion, but in reality this façade is a Victorian Gothic creation, carried out by William John Evelyn in the 19 Century. He also maintained a small menagerie in the grounds, from which some kangaroos once escaped into the Surrey countryside and startled many a hiker in the area of Leith Hill!

William's only son John succeeded him in 1908 and died in 1922. GJA Evelyn, known as Jack, followed on, until finally we arrive at the present Lord of the Manor of Wotton, John Patrick Evelyn, he was born in 1930 and inherited Wotton in 1965.

After the Second World War, Wotton House was used as a Fire Service College for thirty years. After that it became a private training centre until 1987, after which it lay vacant for 13 years. In 2000 Wotton House was acquired by the current owners who set about restoring the old house and building extensions in keeping with the existing style, in addition to recreating the garden as it had originally been designed by John Evelyn.

2 x character bars
Restaurant
Indoor pool and fitness centre
Tennis courts

The facilities available in each bedroom include:

Tea & coffee making facilities
Iron
Internet

The following attractions are all nearby:

Denbies Vineyard (the largest vineyard in England)
Epsom racecourse
Chessington World of Adventures

Click on a photo to enlarge it.

Hotel Front      Garden    Library Bar      Swimming Pool