New buildings at Kew

George III's passion for building involved a good deal of demolition of existing domestic properties. In 1800, James Wyatt began the Castellated Palace, which was located on the site of the former Kew Farm. The Castellated Palace project devoured all the residences in the area between the Dutch House and the Brentford Ferry. Anticipating the completion of the Castellated Palace, George III ordered the demolition of the White House in 1802 and the family moved to the Dutch House. However, work stopped in 1811 with the palace left unfinished and it was demolished by George IV in 1827.

Although this period is not generally characterised by major botanical construction projects, numerous small glasshouses and hothouses were built in the Botanic Gardens. These include the house for the African plants, later known as the Botany Bay House when it became used for Australian collections; the 60ft (18.3m) Cape House, a hothouse used for larger Australian and Cape plants; and the 40ft (12.2m) Span House, intended for smaller Cape and Australian plants.

The most prominent physical development of the Botanic Gardens was Banks' 1773 planting of over 800 species of trees and shrubs, mostly from the North America. The exact location of the majority of these plantings is currently unknown, but about about eight or nine trees survive from this era in various locations within the current gardens.

In 1794 George III purchased Rev Thomas Methold's house and gardens. This brought another section of 3-5 acres (1.2-2ha) under the control of the crown. The strip between Methold's Garden and the Kitchen Garden remained in private ownership during this period, as did the houses and gardens lining Kew Green.

Back to: 1771-1820: George III and Joseph Banks