Wotton House (or Wotton Estate) is in Wotton near Dorking, Surrey, England. It is a grade II listed building. Originally a country house and the seat of the Evelyn family, it is now a training and conference centre.[1]
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The house was built in the early 17the century by the Evelyn family who extended it in the later 17th century. In the 18th century it was extended eastwards by William Kent. Further extensions and alterations were made in the early 19th century by Francis Edwards. Following a fire in the 1870s the house was restored and enlarged by Henry Woodyer for John Evelyn in 1877.[1]
John Evelyn (1620–1706) and his elder brother George created the first "Italian Garden" in England. Work on it started in 1643, was completed by 1652,[2] and it is the house's most famous feature.[3][1]
Wotton House was the family seat of the Evelyn Family and John Evelyn, a diarist, landscape designer, and collector, was born in it. He inherited the house and estates on the death of his brother George in 1699.[1]
In the middle to late 20th century the house was leased to Home Office and used as the Fire Service College between 1947 and 1981.[4][5]
Wotton House is currently owned by the Principal Hayley Group and the buildings are used as a hotel, training and conference centre.[6]