Description
Explored: On a cold & frosty morning, I take you off the beaten track a little, on an explore to try & discover a couple of hidden secrets lost in the mists of time. The historic Deepdene estate & the well trodden trail has seen it's gardens & features recently restored to glimpse what once was....but what lies beneath? Link; An interesting account from 1826. https://www.google.co.uk/books/edition/An_account_of_the_Deep_Dene_in_Surrey/Fz4JAAAAQAAJ?hl=en&gbpv=1&dq=inauthor:%22John+Preston+Neale%22&printsec=frontcover
The Deepdene, a spot distinguished by its natural beauties and delightful prospects, was selected as a retirement by the Honourable Charles Howard, an early patron of science, and younger son of Henry Frederick, Earl of Arundel and Norfolk, in the reign of Charles I., who here indulged his taste in developing the interesting scenery by forming a succession of terraces, which attracted the admiration of his contemporaries, at a period before the art of landscape gardening had attained its celebrity in this country ; since which time, the rich embellishments of art have been given to the simplicity of nature, the grounds have been consider ably augmented, and the Deepdene, without rivalling the superb Villas of Lucullus or of Pliny, has equally become an asylum for the arts, displaying a tasteful arrangement of objects of more than ordinary curiosity. The Deepdene is situated upon the southwest side of the town of Dorking, on the road towards Reigate , and was celebrated by our early topographers for its local attractions. In Camden's Britannia. edit; Gibson, it is thus described: “ Between Betchworth and Dorking stands Deepdene, the situation whereof is somewhat surprising , by reason of the risings and uniform 'acclivities about it, which naturally resemble a Roman Amphitheatre , or rather indeed a Theatre; it is open at the North end, and is of an oval form . Now it is most ingeniously cast and improved into gardens, vineyards, and other plantations, both on the area below , and on the sides of the environing hills, with frequent grots here and there , beneath the terraces leading to the top, from whence one has a fair prospect of that part of Surrey and of Sussex, as far as the South Downs, for near thirty miles outright. The Honourable Charles Howard, Lord of half the manor of Dorking, is solely entitled to this ingenious contrivance.” Col.185 . Aubrey, in his Antiquities of Surrey, vol. iv. p .164, is more particular in description , and diffuse in his praise. “ A long Hope, i. e., according to Virgil, deductus vallis, is contrived in the most pleasant and delightful solitude for House, Gardens, Orchards, Boscages, & c., that I have seen in England ; it deserves a poem, and was a subject worthy of Mr. Cowley's muse. The true name of this Hope is Dibden, quasi Deepdene. “ Mr. Howard hath cast this Hope into the form of a Theatre, on the sides whereof he hath made several narrow walks, like the seats of a theatre, one above another, above six in number, done with a plough, which are bordered with thyme, and some cherry-trees, myrtles. Here were a great many orange- trees and syringas, which were then in flower. In this Garden are twenty -one sorts of thyme. The pit, as one may call it, is stored full of rare flowers and choice plants. In the hill, on the left hand , being sandy ground, is a cave dug thirty six paces long, four broad, and five yards high; and at about two-thirds of the hill, where the crook or bowing is, he hath dug another subterranean walk or passage, to be pierced through the hill, through which you have the vista, over all the south part of Surrey and Sussex, to the sea. The south side of this hill is converted into a vineyard, of many acres of ground, which faceth the south and south-west,”; (The opposite side to the hill, of the tunnels that I explored was supposed the cave location described as being on the left side of the hill. It is known as the East Cave and is a further folly tunnel 85 long (ie around 36 paces long). The third tunnel, the one that would supposedly have given a vista over the sea, was not completed, and when described by Aubrey and Defoe it was a work in progress. In fact it collapsed, narrowly missing killing the diggers. It’s entrance was turned into a shallow decorative grotto, which I visited on the explore.)No Treasure yet Found
History: Reports & photo's linked below...
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deepdene_House_and_Gardens
https://www.exploringsurreyspast.org.uk/themes/places/surrey/mole_valley/dorking/dorking_the_deepdene/
https://www.subbrit.org.uk/sites/deepdene-ww2-southern-railway-traffic-control-centre/#:~:text=During%20World%20War%202%2C%20the,for%20its%20wartime%20emergency%20headquarters.&text=The%20bunker%20was%20constructed%20within,was%20moved%20there%20from%20Waterloo.
https://historicengland.org.uk/listing/the-list/list-entry/1448836
https://www.parksandgardens.org/places/deepdene-the
The Ice House https://youtu.be/FHv7NwSokI8