Witley Park
Coordinates: 51°08′50″N 0°40′49″W / 51.147165°N 0.680255°W
Witley Park was a 19th-century house and is an estate in Surrey, between Godalming and Haslemere.
The estate named Lea Park between Godalming and Haslemere, Surrey, and the adjacent South Park Farm, were purchased in 1890 from the Earl of Derby. The title to the estate included the titular Lordship of the Manor and control of Hindhead Common. Lea Park was developed by J. Whitaker Wright, as part of extensive land, approximately 9,000 acres (36 km2; 14 sq mi), that he purchased in the Haslemere and Hindhead area.
The preexisting house was developed into a 32 bedroom mansion adjacent to one of three artificial lakes, and landscaped grounds. Underneath the adjacent lake Whitaker Wright built an underground conservatory/smoking room, with aquarium windows, upon which a statue of Neptune stands, giving the appearance it is floating on the water.
Whitaker Wright committed suicide upon conviction for fraud, and his properties were auctioned off. Much of Hindhead Common, Witley Common and Thursley Common was passed on to the National Trust.
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