Benthamremainedasmucharecluseasever。HeseldomleftQueen’sSquarePlaceexceptforcertainsummeroutings。In1807hetookahouseatBarrowGreen，nearOxted，inSurrey，lyinginapicturesquehollowatthefootofthechalkhills。101*Itwasanold-fashionedhouse，standinginwhathadbeenapark，withalakeandacomfortablekitchengarden。Benthampotteredaboutinthegroundsandundertheoldchestnut-trees，codifying，gardening，andtalkingtooccasionaldisciples。Hereturnedthitherinfollowingyears；
butin1814，probablyinconsequenceofhiscompensationforthePanopticon，tookalargerplace，FordAbbey，nearChardinSomersetshire。Itwasasuperbresidence，102*withchapel，cloisters，andcorridors，ahalleightyfeetlongbythirtyhigh，andagreatdiningparlour。PartsofthebuildingdatedfromthetwelfthcenturyorthetimeoftheCommonwealth，orhadundergonealterationsattributedtoInigoJones。NoSquireWesterncouldhavecaredlessforantiquarianassociations，butBenthammadeaveryfairmonk。Theplace，forwhichhepaid£；315ayear，wascongenial。Herodehisfavouritehobbyofgardening，andtookhisregular’ante-jentacular，and’post-prandial’
walks，andplayedbattledoreandshuttlecockintheintervalsofcodification。
Helikeditsowellthathewouldhavetakenitforlife，butforthelossof£；8000or£；10，000inaDevonshiremarble-quarry。103*In1818
hegaveitup，andthenceforwardrarelyquittedQueen’sSquarePlace。Hislifewasvariedbyfewincidents，althoughhisinfluenceuponpublicaffairswasforthefirsttimebecomingimportant。Thebusierjournalistsandplatformoratorsdidnottroublethemselvesmuchaboutphilosophy。Buttheywereincommunicationwithmenofahigherstamp，Romilly，JamesMill，andothers，whoformedBentham’sinnermostcouncil。ThusthemovementsintheoutsideworldsetupanagitationinBentham’sstudy；andthereclusewaspromptedtosethimselftoworkuponelaboratinghisowntheoriesinvariousdirections，inordertosupplythenecessarysubstratumofphilosophicaldoctrine。Ifhehadnotthepowerofgainingthepublicear，hisoraclesweretransmittedthroughthediscipleswhoalsoconvertedsomeofhisrawmaterialsintocoherentbooks。