Cobham Park

Cobham Park is a country mansion and estate situated to the south of Cobham and encompassing the majority of Downside, Surrey, England. It was formerly the seat of John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier and later the home of Harvey Christian Combe, who was Lord Mayor of London and a partner in the Combe Delafield and Co. brewery. The estate, with the exception of the main house, still belongs to the Combe family.

Earliest records of a house on the site of Cobham Park date back to the 12th century when it was known as "Downe Place", and there are records of royal patronage from the late 13th century. The name was derived from a family named Downe that had resided there for several generations; and from whom this part of the parish acquired the appellation of Downside, which it still retains. The house was later also known as "Downe Hall".

The house was rebuilt in the classical style in the 1720s by John Bridges. The design was based an Italian villa of the 1680-90 period. A description appeared in Daniel Defoe's "A Tour Through The Whole Island of Great Britain" which indicates that the house was quite splendid: "... for the size of this House, there is hardly any other near London, which has more useful and elegant Apartments". The grounds were also landscaped and the River Mole diverted.

The house was described as "a handsome and substantial building, nearly of a square form, and has a neat portico, which was erected some years ago in place of a veranda. It includes a good saloon with a coved and ornamented ceiling, (now a billiard room), a library, and other convenient apartments, embellished with a few marble busts, and some good pictures."

In around 1750, John Ligonier, 1st Earl Ligonier occupied and bought Cobham Park and entertained William Pitt the Elder at a party shortly thereafter. Ligonier appears to have used Cobham Park as a place of retreat and leisure (apparently he had a harem of four young girls).

Following Ligonier's death in 1770, Cobham Park passed to his nephew Edward.

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