Sunken Garden

The Sunken Garden is located to the rear of the Wren Building, running southwest, on the campus of William & Mary.

Chronology of Establishment

1919-23--designed by College Architect Charles M. Robinson, working closely with President Julian A.C. Chandler. Design reportedly based on Wren works seen in England, especially Chelsea Hospital (Buildings and Grounds--Sunken Gardens folder, University Archives Subject File Collection)

1923--first mentioned in correspondence between (Julian A.C. Chandler and Charles F. Gillette, October 1923 (1982.45 under Budget-Employment Landscape Architect Charles Gillette)

• "Mr. Gillette, a landscape architect, is working on a plan which will cost $1000...I am afraid, however, that his landscape plan will call for an expenditure of $25,000 or $30,000, which, of course we will not have for a long time" (Board of Visitors, June 1923, p. 62.)

• Charles M. Robinson to draw plans for buildings.

1924--first mentioned in Board minutes, Feb 12, 1924, p. 68, to be omitted from building plans drawn by landscape architect Charles F. Gillette due to excessive cost.

1933--Dr. Chandler reported that a Civilian Conservation Corps Camp had been assigned to the College for the purpose of beautifying and improving the grounds. He recommended that the Board again consider the idea of a Sunken Garden. This recommendation was adopted and the President was authorized to employ Mr. Charles F. Gillette to supervise the landscape work (Board of Visitors, Oct. 4, 1933, p. 447)

• Upon motion duly made and seconded, the bill of Mr. Charles F. Gillette for $1400.00 for services rendered as architect for the Sunken Garden was approved and ordered to be paid (Board of Visitors, Oct. 4, 1933, p. 456)

1935-1936--constructed by A.L. Phillips Sons

1935--Virtually completed (The Flat Hat, 9/21/1935, 1) boxwood planted, shrubbery completed (The Flat Hat, 12/3/1935, 1; The Flat Hat, 2/23/1979, 2)

Material in the Special Collections Research Center

• The Flat Hat
• Colonial Echo: 1937-Colonial Echo, p. 23; 1982-Colonial Echo, p. 29.
• Board of Visitors Records, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.
• Buildings and Grounds--Sunken Gardens folder, University Archives Subject File Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.
• Two films primarily featuring the 1939 Homecoming also include footage of the Sunken Garden. Both are available in the W&M Digital Archive: http://hdl.handle.net/10288/13623 and http://hdl.handle.net/10288/13622.
• Search the W&M Digital Archive for additional material.
• Guide for doing research related to the College of William & Mary
• SCRC Collections Database: search by names, organization, subject, event, etc.

References

• The Flat Hat
• Board of Visitors Records, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.
• Buildings and Grounds--Sunken Gardens folder, University Archives Subject File Collection, Special Collections Research Center, Swem Library, William & Mary.