More History and Heritage.....

1700-1772: Two Royal Gardens

Sir William Hooker

Kew Today.....

The Herbarium

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The Herbarium

The present Herbarium is a much-expanded Hunter House, which was originally built between 1748 and 1771. It was the residence of Pete Theobald and was bought from Hunter's eldest son. It was repaired and improved and sold to the Office of Woods and Forests in 1823, a transaction that was subsequently forgotten.

William I believed Hunter House still to be Royal property and presented it, with Hanover House, to his brother the Duke of Cumberland, in 1830 or 1831. The Duke and his wife lived there until 1837 when he ascended to the throne of Hanover and his trips to Kew became far less frequent.

The empty bottom floor of the King of Hanover's house became temporarily available for William Hooker to use for his Herbarium in 1852, an arrangement that eventually became permanent.

Hunter House now forms one part of the expanded Herbarium courtyard complex with buildings dating from the 18th Century Hunter House to the 20th Century A, B, D and E Wings.

As well as being the original Herbarium and library, Hunter House is important through its association with the early Royal Estate and as a Royal residence. Architecturally, it is a major feature in the Kew Green frontage, including the railings. The decorative brickwork and classical styling determined the architectural style of later additions to the Herbarium.

Herbarium C Wing

This 1877 Grade II Listed addition to Herbarium with its three storeys and basement is architecturally subordinate to Hunter House with no decorative elements. Inside, however, there is a fine atrium space surrounded by galleried floors used for storage of plant samples and research. Built for a singular purpose and still used as such, it is one of the most important historical components of the Herbarium courtyard complex.

Herbarium A Wing

Built in 1931, the four-storey Herbarium A Wing is a Grade II Listed building, created as an office and library addition to Herbarium. It is architecturally similar to the original Hunter House, but much simplified, omitting many decorative elements and Portland stone dressings.

Herbarium B Wing

Another Grade II Listed building, B Wing is another 20th Century office and library addition, similar to Hunter House in style by of much grander proportion, with eight bays divided by giant pilasters; though the decorative elements are much simpler. Divided into bays by brick pilasters. Consisting of three storeys and a basement, B Wing is connected to Hunter House by a plain link block, set back from the main front.

Herbarium D Wing

This 1969 addition to the Herbarium group is the fourth Grade II Listed addition to Hunter House and finally encloses the courtyard space. Built partly to provide a controlled environment for the document collection, it is unlike the others, in that it is unrelated architecturally to Hunter House except in its height and the use of brick as the elevation treatment. It had a roof extension and a glazed entrance lobby added in 1999.

Herbarium East Wing

Built in 1988 to provide a controlled environment for storage collection, this Grade II Listed structure is an infill to the central courtyard space. It is of a single storey, partly below ground, and sports a 'Japanese' rock garden on the roof.

The Herbarium is not open to the public

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On to: Brentford Gate