About
While enjoying your day out at Painshill, don’t miss the adventure of finding the hidden Hermitage, a rustic cottage on the western side of the gardens. The windows offer wonderful views and the thatched building will give you a glimpse of life as an 18th century hermit.
Hermits were often hired by landowners to reside in their gardens and live a simple life. They should remain in the grounds and spend time in silence praying for the family. Legend has it Hamilton’s Painshill hermit didn’t last long in the role however. After just three weeks he was spotted drinking in the local pub!
History and Restoration
When Painshill was a lost landscape, the Hermitage became derelict and was chopped up for firewood in the 1940s. The Painshill Park Trust landscape team rebuilt it, using timber from the grounds, in May 2004.
