The first gardens on the site were begun by William Garrett who purchased the land in 1802. In 1817 the park was sold to John Julius Angerstein but in 1819 the sale was reversed after Angerstein brought a case against Garrett over non disclosure of dry rot. Garrett then put the estate back on the market. The park was purchased in 1820 by Regency politician and botanist Sir George Thomas Staunton as part of his country estate 'Leigh Park'. He made significant changes and additions to the gardens with the construction of the lake and a number of follies. On his death in 1859 the estate and gardens were inherited by Staunton's cousin Henry Cormick Lynch. Henry Lynch died just six weeks after receiving his inheritance and it was in turn passed to his eldest son George Staunton Lynch who then changed his name to George Staunton Lynch-Staunton. In 1861 he in turn sold the gardens and the estate to William Henry Stone for £60,000. Stone had a new house built which was finished in 1865 and most of the old house was demolished around the same time.