Painshill

About

Painshill is a Grade I listed landscape widely acclaimed as a masterpiece of visual art. It was designed and created by the Hon. Charles Hamilton between 1738 and 1773, who transformed 160 acres of farmland into an extraordinary artistic landscape. It was one of the first such landscapes to be listed.

Hamilton was born in Dublin in 1704, the fourteenth child and youngest son of the Sixth Earl of Abercorn. He spent most of his life in England and was educated at Westminster School and Christ Church, Oxford. On completing his education, Hamilton set off on his first Grand Tour across Europe to experience different places and cultures. He returned inspired, acquiring the land at Painshill in 1738 with a vision to create ‘living paintings’ in a new style of magical landscape.

The timing of Hamilton’s project coincided with a change in ideas and philosophy that saw a move away from formal, architectural gardens towards a more informal, pictorial landscape: the ‘natural style’ or the English Landscape Garden. Painshill is now regarded as one of the foremost and finest of these creations.

Combining artistic vision with his passion for plants, Hamilton infused his memories, thoughts and ideas of Europe to create Painshill’s route. The original intention was for visitors to become emotionally involved, experiencing a variety of moods as they walked around his living painting: a whole Grand Tour in an oasis of English countryside.

In 1773, Hamilton was forced to sell Painshill, following years of financial difficulties and debt. The landscape changed between different owners but largely remained intact until the period following World War II when it fell into disrepair. In 1981 Painshill Park Trust was formed to restore it to its former glory.