page_title: Thomas-Chaloner Bisse-Challoner
section_title: Seat and residences
hierarchical_section_title: Thomas-Chaloner Bisse-Challoner / Seat and residences
caption_attribution_description: English: My scan or scan of photo (R. de SalisRodolph (talk) 18:58, 26 May 2014 (UTC)) of a terrace at Portnall Park, Surrey, UK, late 1800s.
context_page_description: Thomas-Chaloner Bisse-Challoner DL, JP was a British militia colonel who enlarged the former country house and landscape garden in 600 acres at Portnall Park, Virginia Water, then considered Egham Heath, sitting on the Bagshot Formation. This laid the foundation for the Wentworth Estate and many of the opulent houses of the sparesly populated area, alongside its proximity to Windsor and Windsor Great Park as the British royal family's wealth and connections expanded enabling them to set up nearby grand homes. He inherited much of his fortune principally via his great-aunt Lydia Challoner and cousin Valentina Aynscombe.
context_section_description: Potnalls, Potenall, or Portnall Park, Virginia Water (then a pre-village within Egham's boundaries) was built c. 1770. In 1804, Thomas' father had it after exchange of land at Tite Hill, Egham (possibly land that had belonged to his maternal great-aunt Lydia Challoner) with David Jebb, the brother of John Jebb, FRS, then extended or re-built Portnall Park House. His son in turn extended it after 1828.
  In 1872 Portnall was staffed by three men in the house; two in the stables; six or seven in the garden; nine or 10 maids; and four or five men on the farm, which encompassed, including rented land, 600 acres (2.4 km²).
  When sold to golf course pioneer and property developer Walter George Tarrant to form the core of the Wentworth Estate and Golf Course, Virginia Water for £15,000 in 1923, the mansion and estate comprised 196 acres (0.79 km²) with a 2,400 feet (0.73 km) frontage to the main road (the A30). The house had 27 or 30 bedrooms and dressing rooms. There was a 'large square block of stabling' (for 15 horses); a six-booth coach house; barn; cowsheds; bailiff's cottage; bothy; potting sheds; 'good' greenhouses; two walled gardens; five pairs of freehold cottages (three at Shrubs Hill and two at Knowle Hill); two lodge cottages; and a gardener's cottage.
  From the 1830s through 1841 Col. Challoner was resident at 29 Portman Square. In January 1842, Boyle's Court Guide listed him at 169 New Bond Street (The Clarendon Hotel), and from 1843 until death at 11 Charles Street, Mayfair.
  He had two renters' shares in Drury Lane Theatre and was a member of Brooks's (and the Garrick Club as an original member).
caption: Photo of a terrace at Portnall, mid to late 1800s.
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