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Stories

The Pantheon seen from across the lake in the winter at Stourhead, Wiltshire. When it first opened in 1740 Stourhead was described as 'a living work of art'. ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Capability Brown: The Shakespeare of Gardening

August 9, 2019

A list of all the National Trust Gardens that had significant work done by Brown

Capability Brown was the most talented and prolific of the artists who created the thousands of English Landscape Gardens—gardens on a scale that seem natural and irregular. This is a great accolade considering that the English Landscape Garden is one of the greatest contributions Britain has made to the visual arts worldwide. Brown’s artistry often goes unnoticed as it blends so subtly into the landscape and its impact has been mostly overlooked. He is associated with more than 250 sites covering 200 square miles in total.

With Brown as its chief exponent, the influence of the English Landscape Garden became ubiquitous, stretching out over Europe to Russia, India, the United States and beyond. As Horace Walpole, Georgian writer, arbiter of taste and son of the first prime minister, put it, “We have the true model of gardening to the world. Let other countries mimic our taste.”

Brown was Britain’s ambassador extraordinaire, even though he never left Britain. In a nutshell, his fame rests on the simplicity of his artistic formula and its innate appeal, the enormous number of commissions he undertook and his memorable nickname.

Reprinted with permission from Capability Brown and His Landscape Gardens.

Selected Properties

Croome Court, Worcestershire

The Palladian mansion and St Mary’s Church at Croome, Worcestershire. ©National Trust Images/James Dobson

Stourhead, Wiltshire

The Pantheon seen from across the lake in the winter at Stourhead, Wiltshire. When it first opened in 1740 Stourhead was described as ‘a living work of art’. ©National Trust Images/Arnhel de Serra

Stowe, Buckinghamshire

The East Lake Pavilion at Stowe, Buckinghamshire. Stowe is an 18th century landscaped garden, and includes more than 40 historic temples and monuments. ©National Trust Images/Andrew Butler

Petworth, West Sussex

View over the pond to the west front of the house at Petworth House and Park, West Sussex ©National Trust Images/John Miller

Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire

View of the North Front at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. ©National Trust Images/Paul Barker

Ickworth, Suffolk

The Rotunda with grazing sheep in the foreground at Ickworth, Suffolk. ©National Trust/Justin Minns

Wimpole, Cambridgeshire

View of the south front at Wimpole Estate, Cambridgeshire. ©National Trust/ Jemma Finch

Additional Properties

  1. Ashridge, Hertfordshire
  2. Basildon Park, Berkshire
  3. Berrington Hall, Herefordshire
  4. Charlecote, Warwickshire
  5. Clandon Park, Surrey
  6. Claremont Landscape Garden, Surrey
  7. Erddig, Wrexham
  8. Gatton Park, Surrey
  9. Gibside, Tyne and Wear
  10. Hatfield Forest, Essex
  11. Lacock Abbey, Wiltshire
  12. Killerton, Devon
  13. Newton house, Carmarthenshire
  14. Prior Park, Somerset
  15. Saltram, Devon
  16. Tredegar, Newport, South Wales
  17. Uppark, West Sussex
  18. Wallington Estate, Northumberland
  19. Woodchester, Gloucester
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