Archives Research Guide: Buildings and Gates in the Royal Botanic Gardens,Kew 18th- 21st Centuries.

This Guide provides a detailed list ofarchivematerial relating to the buildings and gates in the Gardens, both manuscript and printed sources. Copies of some of the printed sources can be obtained through the Library.

Not all material has been catalogued; in this case, every effort has been made to give a general description of the collections, but only a closer perusal of the papers will reveal the extent of their usefulness.

Some documents are part of a larger collection, some which have been catalogued, in which case the catalogue number will be given. For details of the other documents in the collection, either contact the Archives (/ telephone 0208332 5417/5476)or check our lists on the National Archives Catalogue

Our Illustrations department also holds photographs and drawings of all the buildings in the Gardens from the 19th to the 20th Century. They can be contacted at or on 0208332 5429.

Arrangement of the Guide

This guide has been split into two parts, one part for the buildings and the other for the gates. However, it is not comprehensive. Many buildings are not featured, due to the lack of archive documents covering these buildings.

Table of Contents

A/ Buildings

A.1/ 18th and early 19th Century: Royal Period

1/ Kew Palace 17th C

2/ Follies 18th C (Hermitage, Merlin's Cave and Dairy House)

3/ Pagoda (built 1761)

4/ Queen Charlotte’s Cottage (Built c 1770s)

5/ Royal Residences

6/ Temples

A.2/ From 1841: The Public Era

Alpine House

Chokushi Mon or Japanese Gateway (erected 1910)

Herbarium

Jodrell Laboratory (1877)

Marianne North Gallery (Built 1882)

Palm House (Built 1844-1848)

Sherman Hoyt Cactus House (1932)

Temperate House (Built 1859-1863; 1898)

Temples built 18th-19th Centuries

B/ Gates

Kew Gates 1847-1913

Registered Files:

Kew File 243 - Isleworth Gate 1855-1872

Kew File 242 – Entrance to the Gardens 1824-1889

Maps and Plans 1845 .

A/ Buildings

A.1/ 18th and early 19th Century: Royal Period

We have few original documents for the buildings which were constructed during the Royal period (18th and early 19thcenturies); most of our collection of original documents concerns the buildings which were erected after 1841, the year when the Gardens became public. The Archives hold a series of guidebooks from the 19thand20thcenturies which feature the main historical buildings in the Gardens.

The Library holds various publications on the history of the Gardens(including its buildings) and these can be located by searching the Library catalogue -

There is also some historical information in the ‘History and Heritage’ section of our website - The best source for the early Royal buildings at Kew is ‘Plans, elevations, sections, and perspective views of the gardens and buildings at Kew in Surry’ by William Chambers (facsimile reprint of the London 1763 ed). This book contains drawings of the structures built by William Chambers (1723-1796); a copy can be consulted in the Library

Other Archives also hold relevant material: The National Archives, the British Library, HistoricRoyalPalaces and the Royal Archives in Windsor.

1/ KewPalace 17th C

  • Plan of KewPalaceand Outbuildings - 12 Nov 1880.

2/ Follies 18th C(Hermitage, Merlin's Cave and Dairy House)

  • An exact plan of the RoyalPalaceGardens and Park at Richmond' (KMP/1/7).Engraving representing 'An exact plan of the RoyalPalaceGardens and Park at Richmond with Sion House on the opposite side o the River Thames. Survy'd and published by John Rocque Chorographer to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales'. Shows Hermitage, Merlin's Cave and Dairy House 1740s. Colour, scale 1500ft for 1/2 mile. Digital copy available.

3/ Pagoda (built 1761)

  • Two sketches: one showing proposed alteration to the gallery roofs of the Pagoda. The other showing colours, rings and bells on Pagoda. Both by DecimusBurton, 1844.
  • Pamphlet box 120 contains secondary sources.

4/ Queen Charlotte’s Cottage (Built c 1770s)

  • Pamphlet box containing secondary sources 121 & 121.2
  • Printed articles in volumes of Press Cuttings and Articles 1745-1905 in volume KWA/1:
  1. Queen’s Cottage. The London Argus. May 28, 1898.

A picture of the Queen’s Cottage, Kew extracted from the London Argus, a weekly journal and review of municipal life. On the back of the page there is an article about changes at KewGardens, the opening of the Palace and the Queen’s Cottage.

2. The Cottage in KewGardens. By H. W. Brewer. The Daily Graphic. May 23, 1899.

An article featuring the opening of the Queen’s Cottage to the public with a picture depicting the Cottage.

3. Queen’s Cottage. Illustrated London News. June 17, 1899.

An article about the opening of the Queen’s Cottage to the public.

5/ Royal Residences

  • KMP/1/2. A New Plan of RichmondGardens, Inscribed to T & R Greening, by John Rocque. 'Plan of the House, Gardens and Park and Hermitage of their Majesties at Richmond'. Mounted engraving on board with an acetate cover. Consists of map of gardens and separate illustrations of buildings, Prince of Wales House (North and South sides), His Majestie's House (North and South view), the Queen's House, Summer Houses, the Green House and Orangerie, Dairy, Hermitage and Merlin's Cave. A history of RichmondPalace is printed in the top right hand side. Also shows a view of the Mount, the bridge, and Richmond Gate. Scale to 800 feet (for land = 8cm) and 40 feet (buildings = 5.6cm),Black and White, 59 x 92cm. c 1748.

6/ Temples

  • See temples section in section b/.

A.2/ From 1841: The Public Era

Alpine House

  • The Alpine House at Kew. By W. Irving. The Garden. March 1, 1902.

An article about the Alpine House at Kew extracted from the Garden, with one picture

from inside said building. In Printed articles in volumes of Press Cuttings and Articles

1745-1905 (volume KWA/1).

  • Pamphlet box 91 (House No. 24) and 91.5 Alpine House from 1977, containing secondary sources.

Chokushi Mon or Japanese Gateway (erected 1910)

Two-third the size replica of a 16th Century Japanese Buddhist Gateway, made specifically for the Japanese-British Exhibition in London.

  • Kew Pleasure Grounds Collection, KPG/1/7/1/108-156 contain original correspondence to and from Kew relating to the erection of the Chokushi Mon; also contains notes by Arthur Hill on the subject, including the placement of the Gate in the Gardens,erection costs and a brochure of the Japan-British Exhibition – 1910.
  • Directors’ Correspondence vol 152 Japanese, Chinese & Siberian Letters 1901-1914

Letter from H Kitamura, who was involved in the erection of the Japanese Gateway in the Gardens to the Director. (f 52).

  • Pamphlet Box 112, containing secondary sources.

Herbarium

The Herbarium started out with a single building (18th C) called Hunter House. This was purchased in 1819 by George IV who subsequently sold it to the Office of Woods and Forests in 1824. The first new wing (Wing C) was built in 1877, the second (Wing B) in 1902, the third in 1932 (Wing A) and finally Wing D in 1969.

  • Miscellaneous Papers 1850s-1900s – 1 volume. This volume contains a mixture of papers, including correspondence, relating to the history of the Herbarium and the addition of the new wings from 1876 to 1920s.
  • Pamphlet boxes containing secondary sources relating to the history of the Herbarium boxes 190, 192 and 192.1.
  • Printed articles in volumes of Press Cuttings and Articles 1745-1905 (all in volume KWA/1):
  • Herbarium buildings. By W. B. Hemsley. The Garden. April 11, 1903.

An article extracted from the Garden about the Herbarium buildings of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, talking about the use and value of said buildings. Pictures of the interior of the Herbarium as well as the outside. Also a picture of the Keeper of the Herbarium at Kew, W. Botting Hemsley.

2.Kew Herbarium – the finest in the world. By M. Harrington. March 7, 1896.

An article about the Kew Herbarium extracted from the Vegetarian, containing a picture drawn by Harrison.

3.Herbarium, RoyalGardens, Kew. Photograph by J. Turner, Brentford. 1899.

Showing a photograph of the Herbarium at Kew.

  • There are 73 plans of the Herbarium in the Maps and Plans collection (KMP/2/4),

ranging from the 1800s to 1990s.

Jodrell Laboratory (1877)

The first Jodrell Laboratory was built in 1876 with funding provided by Thomas Jodrell Phillips-Jodrell. The second building was erected on the site of the first in 1965, an extension was added in 1994 and finally the new wing or Wolfson Extension was built in 2004.

  • There are some letters from Jodrell to Hooker in the Director’s Correspondence

volume 90 English Letters IBB-KUH 1866-1900 (ff 158-164); these are not dated are

probably from the 1870s.

  • There also some letters from Jodrell in J D Hooker in JDH/2/18Royal Society

Letters c.1870s – 1900s on the subject of the proposed funding for the Laboratory

(ff 119-127).

  • File Kew 25 Jodrell Laboratory (1875-1879): contains correspondence from the

Ministry of Works to J D Hooker and also from Hooker regarding the building of the

Laboratory.

  • C R Metcalfe, Keeper of the Laboratory in 1976, wrote a history of the building for the Centenary. This is available in the Library.
  • Maps and Plans: New Laboratory Presented by TJP Jodrell esquire 1876. (colour).

Showing front, back and end elevations.

Marianne North Gallery(Built 1882)

The papers relating to Marianne North herself and the building of the Gallery have been catalogued under the reference MN. The full list is available on request. Of particular interest are:-

  • MN/1/4: Kew. North Gallery 1879-1896: This bound volume contains correspondence from Miss North and others regarding the North Gallery.
  • MN/2/1 : 6 plans of the North Gallery c.1882 This file containing 6 hand drawn plans by Marianne North of the North Gallery picture layout.
  • MN/2/2 : 2 plans of the North Gallery c.1979.This file contains 2 drawn plans of the North Gallery picture layout
  • MN/2/3 : North Gallery 1882-1938. This bound volume contains a variety of correspondence. The main subjects covered are the maintenance and restoration of the Gallery in 1936/37 and queries from the public regarding the reproduction of Miss North’s paintings.

Palm House (Built 1844-1848)

There exists various sources for the Palm House, a detailed guideis available upon requestwhich includes correspondenceand printed sources are available in the Library.

Summary of sources held::

  • Plans of the Palm house, 25 in total with 8 originals some by the Architect Decimus Burton; details of the erection of the Palm House in Annual Reports 1844-1870; correspondence concerning the design and building in W J Hooker’s papers and also in the Director’s Correspondence collection from Decimus Burton, Richard Turner (Engineer) and Robert Hunt (Physicist who designed the glass). The Archives also hold some secondary sources material in two pamphlet boxes.
  • There are some plans of the Palm House Parterre designed by William Nesfield

in the 1840s as well as correspondence. A detailed list, as well as sources for the Arboreturm is available in a separate guide.

  • Correspondencein W J Hooker’s papers, in the are in the Director’s Correspondence volumes (DC) from the Architect Decimus Burton, Richard Turner (Engineer) and Robert Hunt (Physicist for the glass). Kew 16 Registered File (1846-1890s) contains correspondence and papers relating to the Palm House.
  • Great Palm House and Monster Cactus. The Illustrated London News. January 4, 1845. An article with pictures of the Great Palm House and the monster cactus.
  • Great Palm-Stove at KewGardens and the Great Palm House. The Illustrated London News. September 2, 1848.

An article about the great Palm-Stove at Kew Gardens as well as a picture of the structure, and pictures of the Great Palm House both from the outside and the interior. (Printed articles in volumes of Press Cuttings and Articles 1745-1905 in volume KWA/1).

Sherman Hoyt Cactus House (1932)

Mrs Hoyt gave Kew funds for a Cactus House to display desert flora from California, following a display at the Chelsea Flower Show in 1929, together with painted landscape. This was later transferred to the Princess of Wales Conservatory (1984).

  • Registered File PRO 1/OW/161929Office of Works: Sherman Hoyt Cactus House 1929-1951. Contains correspondence and press cuttings on the gift, erection and maintenance of the Sherman Hoyt Cactus House.
  • File of photocopies of correspondence and reprints of published articles on Mrs Sherman Hoyt and the establishment of the Cactus House from 1929-1984. The rehousing of the Sherman Hoyt Collection in the New Tropical Conservatory / Royal Botanic Gardens Kew, Living Collections Division. (pk99.11).

Temperate House (Built 1859-1863; 1898)

  • KEW File 22 (1855-1892): Registered File containing original correspondence and papers to and from Kew and the Office of Works concerning the design and building of the Temperate House. Includes press review and drawing in the ‘Garden and Forest, A Journal of Horticulture Landscape Art and Forestry’ dated 1892.
  • Copy of an engraving showing people walking by the Temperate House – 19th Century.
  • Plans of the Temperate House, dating from 1859 which include original drawings from Decimus Burton, some from 1897 showing new wings added, 2 plans from 1935 show new glazing; also 1970s plans concerning its restoration.
  • Kew File 16 (1846-1890s): Registered file containing correspondence and papers concerning the works carried on the Palm House, including costs; some of the papers concern the tunnel and a plan showing the arrangement of the hot water boilers served to heat the Palm House. Also included is a printed report from W J Hooker dated May 1846 on the new Palm House.
  • Temperate House Diary 1951-1964: Daily record of work carried out in the Temperate House during these years.
  • Survey of the Temperate House by the Property Services Agency, Department of The Environment 1974:Full survey of the building carried out prior conservation work with plans, in 6 volumes.

Temples built 18th-19th Centuries

  • Several of the maps in KMP/1 representing the whole Gardens show the location of various temples.
  • Working drawing of the Temple of Aeolus by Decimus Burton, Aug 1845.
  • Pamphlet box containing secondary sources on temples Nos. 115, 128-133, 139; Temple of Bellona or War, Temple of Military Fame or King William’s Temple,

Temple of Minden or Victory, Temple of Pan, Temple of Peace, Temple of Solitude,

Temple of the Sun, Temple of Victory or Minden and Temples and alcoves, miscellaneous.

B/ Gates

There are numerous gates in the Gardens, some no longer in use by the public. In the 18th century, there was an entrance gate near Richmond Green; there was also a gate in the boundary wall by Princess Augusta’s Garden near the Pagoda.

There is a comprehensive chapter on the gates and public entrances to the Gardens in Ray Desmond’s book ‘The History of the Royal Botanic Gardens,Kew’ (revised 2007), appendix 5, pp 369-372.

The Archives hold a volume on the gates for the years 1847-1913,a few old registered files on specific gates, secondary published material and a plan as listed below:-

Kew Gates 1847-1913

1 volume. Contains a variety of information on the rules to be

followed in the Gardens as well as the Gates themselves. Includes correspondence, notes some in Joseph Hooker’s handwriting, press cuttings, hand drawn maps showing the location of specific gates. Subjects covered are:

  • General notices for the public, erected by the various gates
  • Brentford Gate
  • Cumberland Gate
  • Isleworth Gate
  • Lion Gate
  • Main Gate
  • Palace Gate
  • Queens’ Gate
  • Temperate House Gate
  • Victoria Gate

Registered Files:

KewFile 243 - Isleworth Gate 1855-1872

(And Appointment of a Gate Keeper). Contains correspondence and maps relating to the creation of Isleworth Gate, mainly between the Office of Works and Joseph Hooker, containing several letters and notes in the latter’s handwriting. The letters also contain information on a proposed footpath from Richmond’s Deer Park to the Pleasure Grounds and its rejection in favour of a river footpath.

The file also contains a petition with residents’ names and signatures from Spring Grove in Isleworth for a Gate into the Gardens to connect with the ferry from IsleworthChurch.

Kew File 242 – Entrance to the Gardens 1824-1889

Includes correspondence on behalf of George IV’s Commissioner of Woods and the Office of Works concerning the partial enclosure of Kew Green with a fence and Gates at an approximate cost of £800; full estimates for the fence and gates are enclosed within the correspondence (1824).

Letters from Decimus Burton (1845-1847) to the Commissioner of Woods and Forests concerning the erection of a wall near Kew Palace , the old gateway bricked in and a new one created (Main Gate) as well as other letters including costs concerning the new public entrance.

Other correspondence includes the rights of the local inhabitants to be consulted as to the alterations of roads and pathways (1885) and a press cuttings regarding the closure of Gates near the Marianne North Gallery (1885).

Contains correspondence relating to the extension of Lichfield road to provide access to the Gardens from the new Railway station and the creation of a Gate (Victoria Gate) at the end of the road (1888-1889). Includes a map showing new paths in the Gardens from the new gate.

Maps and Plans 1845 .

Drawing by Decimus Burton showing the Main Entrance Gate Posts.

  • Pamphlet box 175 contains secondary material.

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