Virginia Water originally existed as a stream and the origins of the present Lake were started in 1746 by William Duke of Cumberland who was the Park Ranger. The original Lake was much smaller than the current form and was destroyed in the flood of 1768. In 1784 Thomas Sandby began construction on a much larger lake and went on to add an artificial water fall (now know as The Cascade) using stone from Bagshot Heath. He also constructed Meadow Pond and Obelisk Pond. The circuit of the Lake is 7.2km (4.5ml). The River Bourne is the source of the lake and it exits the lake after the cascading waterfall eventually ending up in the Thames at Chertsey.  The Lake is 130 acres in surface area.

The Corinthian Pillars are of Roman Origin were brought from Tripoli as a gift to the Prince Regent (later George IV). They were erected in 1826-27.

The Totem Pole was a gift from the people of Canada to HM The Queen in 1958. The Pole is 100ft high and was carved from a 600 year old Western Red Cedar. These trees are among the largest plants on earth. They commonly reach a height of 160ft and one in the USA measures 280ft with a girth of 80ft; as such it is believed to be the largest plant on earth. Due to their conical shape and immense trunk they are rarely blown down and therefore withstand great storms.