From the Capel family who were a leading family in the Restoration, Henry, made a Knight of the Garter in 1660, married Dorothy the daughter of Sir Richard Bennett of Kew Park. Their house was close by the Dutch House. A frequent visitor was the diarist John Evelyn who noted, in 1678: 'Hence I went to my worthy friend Sir Henry Capel, brother to the Earl of Essex: it is an old timber house, but his garden certainly has the choicest fruit of any plantation in England, as he is the most industrious understanding of it.' And in 1688 Evelyn observed 'orangerie and myrtetum are most beautiful and perfectly kept. He was contriving very high palisadoes of reedes to shade his oranges during the summer, and painting those reedes in oil.'

O/S Co-ords:1864.7747
Source(s):

Kew Past

Samuel Molyneux was secretary to George, Prince of Wales (later George II) who lived at Richmond Lodge. He was also a keen astronomer. After marrying Lady Elizabeth Capel he lived at the home of her great-aunt Lady Dorothy Capel close by the Dutch House.He substantially developed the house when it was inherited by his wife and accommodated a telescope in the east wing. His observations there caused him to make the considerable discovery in 1729 of the Aberration of Light. He was unfortunate to fall ill in 1728 and into the care of the Anatomist to the Royal Family, Dr Nathaniel St Andre, whose qualifications were as a dancing master. Molyneux died fairly rapidly and subsequently St Andre eloped fairly rapidly with the Lady Elizabeth.

O/S Co-ords:1864.7747
Source(s):

Kew Past