| Albury Park | |
|---|---|
 The mansion | |
| Location | Albury, Surrey |
| Coordinates | 51°13′07″N0°28′41″W / 51.21861°N 0.47806°W /51.21861; -0.47806 |
| OS grid reference | TQ 06390 47700 |
| Area | 130 ha (320 acres) |
| Built | 17th century |
| Rebuilt |
|
| Architect | |
| Owner | Albury Estates |
Listed Building – Grade II* | |
| Official name | Albury Park |
| Designated | 14 June 1967 |
| Reference no. | 1029565 |
| Official name | Albury Park |
| Designated | 1 July 1984 |
| Reference no. | 1000299 |
  Location of Albury Park in Surrey | |
Albury Park is a country park and Grade II*listed historiccountry house (Albury Park Mansion) inSurrey, England. It covers over 150 acres (0.61 km2); within this area is the old village ofAlbury, which consists of three or four houses and a church. TheRiver Tillingbourne runs through the grounds. The gardens of Albury Park are Grade I listed on theRegister of Historic Parks and Gardens.[1]
TheSaxonOld St Peter and St Paul's Church, within the grounds of Albury Park, predates 1066. Albury Park was mentioned in theDomesday Book of 1086. Over the centuries the estate has changed hands many times.[2]
The grounds of Albury Park were laid out byJohn Evelyn, the 17th-century diarist and landscape gardener, between 1655 and 1677.[3] He lived nearby atWotton. At this time the park was owned byHenry Howard who later became the 6thDuke of Norfolk. John Evelyn's work included a yew walk, a vineyard, a terrace a quarter of a mile long, and a 160-yard tunnel, through the hill under Silver Wood. Beneath the terrace was a chamber built in imitation of a Roman bath, with niches for sculpture. He also designed a wide canal fed by theRiver Tillingbourne; it was drained in the early nineteenth century.[4] Many of Evelyn's alterations to the mansion were destroyed in a fire in 1697. At that time the owner wasHeneage Finch who later became the firstEarl of Aylesford andSolicitor-General toCharles II. Finch rebuilt the mansion.
In 1761, Albury Park was the scene of the coronation banquet ofGeorge III.[5]
The house was owned by the immediate Finch family until 1782 when the4th Earl of Aylesford sold the estate to his brother Captain William Clement Finch, a naval captain who had acquired a fortune by capturing a Spanish ship. Captain Finch wanted to enclose the park so he obtained magistrates' orders in 1784/5 to close and re-route a number of roads through the park. He enclosed the village green, incorporated part of the churchyard into the park grounds and harassed the villagers, causing some of them to move away to a nearby hamlet which is now the village of Albury.
In 1800, Captain Finch's widow sold the estate toSamuel Thornton, who made additions to the house, including the north front, to the designs ofJohn Soane.[6] Albury Park was purchased byBarings Bank partner, Charles Wall in 1811 and he lived at this estate with his wifeHarriet (born Baring) and at their homes in London and Hampshire. Harriet organised evangelical meetings at the house which were scheduled for twice a day. The services attracted sizable congregations to hear the prayers and the readings from scripture. All of these were organised by Harriet and at some she would lead the service. Charles Wall died in 1815 and after that Harriet's focus moved to her new residence in Hampshire.[7]
The banker and politicianHenry Drummond (1786–1860), great-grandson ofWilliam Drummond, 4th Viscount Strathallan, was the owner in 1819.[8] Drummond added a battlemented stoneGothick tower at the north-west corner of the building,[4] and 63 brick chimneys – each to a different design. His architect wasAugustus Pugin.[6] Drummond also planted many of the rare trees in the park.
Albury Park passed into thePercy family through the marriage of Louisa Drummond, daughter ofHenry Drummond, to the6th Duke of Northumberland.[9] TheDuke of Northumberland still owns most of the land, known as the Albury Estate.[10] The mansion contains 64 different mantelpieces, which were in part the work of Robert Adam. The private areas of the park contain aRoman bath and a cave inspired by the Grotto of Posilippo inNaples.[11]
In 1969, the mansion together with 3 acres (12,000 m2) of land, mostly laid to grass, was sold. The building was converted into private flats that were owned by theCountry Houses Association until it went into liquidation in 2003.[12] The house was then sold to private owners, who continued to let the flats, while living in the house themselves. The parkland and theJohn Evelyn gardens remained private.
Fly fishing is possible at Albury Park as part of the Albury Estate Fisheries fly fishing club. Park membership is based on a syndicate membership.[13]
There is a public footpath that cuts through the estate.
The storms of 1987 and 1990 caused serious damage to parts of the park.
Albury Park was featured in aChannel 4 television series,Country House Rescue in December 2008, and November 2009. The house and grounds have also been the location of the filming of the television seriesMidsomer Murders and the romantic comedy filmFour Weddings and a Funeral.[14]
In March 2020,Country Life reported that the Grade II* listed mansion had been split into luxury apartments.[15]
