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THE ESSEX NATURALIST.
Dr. Fothergill's search for a site for the formation of his
garden seems at first to have been prosecuted in Surrey, but
ultimately he bought, in 1762, an estate at Upton in West Ham
consisting at that time of a house, garden and about 30 acres of
land, to which afterwards an additional 30 acres of land was
added. As early as 1566 there was a house on the site, then
known as Rooke Hall, so called from its possessor, William
Rooke, upon whose death the property devolved on his son
Robert and remained in possession of his family until 1666,
when it was sold to Sir Robert Smyth of Upton, and in this
family it remained for nearly a hundred years, when it was
sold to Admiral Elliot, who is credited with having brought
the cones of cedar trees from the Levant and planted them in
his garden. From Admiral Elliot's representatives Dr. Fother-
gill purchased the property and speedily got to work on his new
possession, and we are indebted to Miss Katherine Fry for the
following description:—
"The walls of the garden enclosed about five acres of
"land; a winding canal, in the figure of a crescent, divided
"the garden into two parts occasionally opening on the sight
"through the branches of rare exotic shrubs that lined the
"walks on its banks. A glass door from the house gave
"entrance into a suite of hot and green houses, nearly 260 feet
"in extent, containing upwards of 3,400 distinct species of
"exotics, whose foliage wore a perpetual verdure; and in the
"open ground, in summer, nearly 3,000 distinct species of
"plants and shrubs vied in verdure with the natives of Asia
"and Africa."
No expense was spared by Dr. Fothergill in the planning and
lay-out of his grounds and greenhouses, and no expense was
spared by him in collecting and procuring rare plants and shrubs
from America, India and Africa. One of the best known
collectors in his employ was a Friend, named William Bartram,
who was instrumental in securing for him Kalmias, Rhodo-
dendrons and Maples which he imported in quantities and
popularised in English parks and gardens.
Writing in 1722 Fothergill says:—
"I have a little wilderness which when I bought the
"premises Was full of old yew trees, laurels and weeds. I had
"it cleared, well dug, and took up many trees, but left others