▁Fin ch ley ) ▁who ▁had ▁owned ▁the ▁land ▁since ▁the ▁ 1 7 3 0 s . ▁The ▁house ▁takes ▁its ▁name ▁from ▁The ▁Avenue ▁which ▁runs ▁behind ▁the ▁house , ▁and ▁was ▁originally ▁the ▁route ▁between ▁Bib bes worth ▁man or ▁and ▁the ▁church ▁of ▁St ▁Mary ’ s ▁Fin ch ley . ▁▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁the ▁house ▁was ▁bought ▁by ▁the ▁famous ▁in k ▁manufact urer ▁Henry ▁Charles ▁Steph ens . ▁During ▁Steph ens ' ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁house ▁he ▁purchased ▁the ▁ad jo ining ▁ten - acre ▁Temple ▁Cro ft ▁Field ▁and ▁the ▁gard ens ▁were ▁laid ▁out , ▁to ▁designs ▁by ▁Robert ▁Mar no ck . ▁Steph ens ▁added ▁a ▁collection ▁of ▁rare ▁trees ▁which ▁were ▁included ▁in ▁the ▁plant ing ▁and ▁form ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁today ' s ▁ar bor et um . ▁▁▁ ▁The ▁house ▁and ▁grounds ▁were ▁left ▁to ▁Fin ch ley ▁Urban ▁District ▁Council ▁by ▁Steph ens ▁in ▁his ▁will ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 8 , ▁with ▁a ▁condition ▁that ▁they ▁be ▁always ▁open ▁for ▁the ▁use ▁and ▁enjoy ment ▁of ▁the ▁public , ▁subject ▁to ▁reasonable ▁reg ulation . ▁However , ▁the ▁Est ate ▁was ▁used ▁between ▁ 1 9 1 9 ▁and ▁ 1 9 2 5 ▁by ▁the ▁R AF ▁as ▁a ▁military ▁hospital ▁before ▁the ▁grounds ▁were ▁opened ▁to ▁the ▁public ▁on ▁ 3 ▁May ▁ 1 9 2 8 . ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁the ▁House ▁was ▁the ▁location ▁for ▁the ▁present