Crossed Lines

Hotels often display the worst examples of corporate art. So many spaces to fill, most of which will be subsequently ignored by most of those passing through. Something still has to be up there, otherwise it will look - well, quite empty. They are, by definition, mass-produced, but also frequently bland, with a tendency to smudgy, sloppy impressionist offerings that don’t really provide an impression of anything recognisable. Usually quite colourful, but too often garish, they might add a bit of variety to an otherwise blank wall, but fail to draw people in with any specific focus.

Not so, at the 17^th century Wotton House Hotel, near Dorking in the Surrey Hills - the former residence of the botanist, diarist, designer and collector, John Evelyn. It is decorated with prints of the plants that he investigated, portraits of the family and a range of other themed exhibits. In the bedroom and above the headboard is a large-scale version of a Victorian map of the surrounding area, showing the routes taken by the two railway lines that crossed in the town.

The north-south line uses the Mole valley through the North Downs to connect London to Horsham. It was built by the London, Brighton and South Coast Railway and opened in 1867, serving Dorking station. The east-west North Downs line was opened by the Reading, Guildford and Reigate Railway in 1849. Great Western Railway services stop at Dorking West and Dorking Deepdene stations.