Kew

Kew, a village in Surrey, 6 miles W. of Hyde Park Corner, and on the right bank of the Thames, which is here crossed by a fine granite bridge, rebuilt in 1899, and 55 feet wide. Foremost among objects of interest at Kew are the Royal Botanic Gardens and Arboretum, containing magnificent collections of plants and ferns, both native and exotic, and of trees and shrubs. Established in 1760 by the mother of George III., and made a national institution in 1840, the gardens now extend over 70 acres, and the arboretum 178 acres, and the annual cost of keeping them up amounts to about £20,000. In 1882 there were 1,244,167 visitors to the gardens, whilst on Whit-Monday 1890 it was computed that nearly 100,000 persons were admitted. In addition to numerous hot-houses and conservatories, the principal features are a palm-house 362 feet by 100 and 66 feet high; a temperate-house of the same height, occupying three-fourths of an acre; three museums; a laboratory; the North gallery, containing sketches from nature taken in different parts of the world; and the Pagoda, an octagonal ten-storied building 163 feet high. To the south-west of the gardens is an observatory, chiefly used as a meteorological station; here are kept the thermometer and other meteorological and magnetical instruments which serve as standards for the United Kingdom. Close to the northern entrance is Kew Palace, formerly a favourite residence of George III., and of Queen Charlotte, who died there. In the church, built in 1714, and subsequently enlarged, is an organ presented by George IV., and said to have been used by Handel. The late Duke and Duchess of Cambridge are buried in the vaults, and in the churchyard adjoining are the graves of Gainsborough, the painter, and two less-known artists, Meyer (George III.'s miniature-painter) and Zoffany. Sir Peter Lely once lived on the Green. Pop. (1801) 424; (1881) 1670; (1891) 2076.