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It is here!

Painshill Park Trust is proud to bring you a limited edition 40^th Anniversary Ruby Gin. It is in stock now in the Painshill Gift Shop and all profits go to the restoration and protection of Painshill.

Enjoy the mix of raspberry, orris root, angelica root, coriander, cubeb pepper, lemon zest, cassia bark and Kossovan juniper dancing on the palate. The skills and talents of The Gin Kitchen in Dorking have developed this gin to celebrate 40 years of the Painshill Park Trust. It is as colourful as it is flavourful to celebrate the ruby anniversary.

Pair with a crisp tonic, plenty of ice and garish with a mint leaf and twist of lime zest.

This rosy gin is the third in the Painshill collection.

The Kitchen Garden Gin and the Turkish Tent Gin, created with ingredients grown at Painshill, are also available in the Gift Shop today.  

Share the experience with us at #PainshillRuby #PainshillGin

Painshill is celebrating the Crystal Grotto’s 250^th anniversary with short story competition.

Brilliant, magical, haunting and enchanting – the Crystal Grotto at Painshill Park in Surrey has been dazzling visitors for 250 years.

To celebrate the grotto’s 250th birthday, Painshill is inviting budding writers to pen a 250-word story inspired by the unearthly beauty of this incredible manmade feature. The winners will receive free year’s membership to Painshill. Enjoy seeing Painshill change throughout the seasons with this fantastic prize.

Entranced by the grottoes in Italian Renaissance gardens, Painshill’s creator the Hon Charles Hamilton commissioned celebrated grotto designer Joseph Lane to construct the folly in the 1700s. The dazzling stalactites were created using thousands of crystals embedded into lime mortar on inverted wooden cones.

By the 20th century, the grotto had fallen into ruin, but restoration by the Painshill Park Trust has seen it returned to its original glory.

Today, the spectacular 158-acre site with its fantastical follies and crystal grotto is once again one of the most important and significant 18^th century landscape gardens in the country.

Painshill director Paul Griffiths said: “The crystal grotto is 250 years old this year, and our 250-word story competition is designed to celebrate its enduring appeal.

“Whether the sparkling stalactites, bubbling rocks, shimmering coral pools and twisted rock formations inspire tales of romance, horror, fantasy or mystery, we would love aspiring writers of all ages to pick up their pens and let their imagination take over.

“We can’t wait to see the results!”

The 250-word short story competition is divided into three categories: 12 and under, 13-17, and 18 and over.

The competition is free to enter. Entrants should live in the UK and can enter through school, or as an individual.

Stories will be judged by Paul and children’s author Lorraine Piddington, with prizes awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd in each category.

Deadline for entries is August 31^st.

Guest Blog written by Grosvenor Billinghurst

What an evening! We packed our picnic blankets and cool boxes of goodies and headed off to the Walled Garden in Painshill for an evening of live comedy. The first occasion of this kind that we’d been to for a long time (thank you Covid) there was a definite air of excitement for the evening ahead. And we were NOT disappointed!

Even as we first entered the grounds we were surrounded by friendly volunteers with big smiles, welcoming us to the event.  There was a buzz around the other comedy enthusiasts (a very diverse bunch), whether sitting in their dusted off camping chairs or lounging on their picnic rugs – everyone enjoying being “out out” for the evening, whilst still feeling very safe at the social distancing in place.  The sun was shining on the grass as it started dropping behind the walls of the garden and it felt for a moment like life was back to “normal” and there was a respite from the worries of the pandemic. For those wanting lubrication of an alcoholic sort the Corks bar had an array of drinks to suit any taste, which of course we made full use of!

The MC and the comedians were very funny – dealing with their change in performance scene brilliantly…from darkened comedy club or large theatre setting, to streaming comedy from their “home office” and now to an outdoor stage in front of the picnicking residents of Cobham (a village which many of them had never heard of – how could they not?!?). Each one brought their own style of comedy, which gave us all a lot of laughs – something that we all relished after the events of the last year. Two hours of comedy (with breaks for a couple of trips to the bar) flew by and we headed home with a spring in our step, reciting our favourite jokes from the show.

As sponsors of the events in the Walled Garden this summer we are not only very proud to be involved with Painshill and these fantastic events, but we’re very grateful for their presence – to lift our spirits, to bring us together with our local community – and we can’t wait to go to more of the events in the future.  See you there?  You know you want to!

Painshill summer events are sponsored by

Find out more about Painshill events

WHAT’S ON

1- 6 Jun 2021 marks National Volunteers Week! Now that COVID-19 restrictions allow it is a brilliant time to re-start our Volunteer Interview Blog.

Painshill couldn’t run without volunteers. We have over 200 and they keep the landscape looking lovely, greet people on the ticket desk and work in the gift shop. They run guided tours, make repairs to the landscape features, host talks, take photographs and much more. Many have been with us for years and the staff are always hugely inspired by their dedication and passion. Thank you to them all for everything they do.

Would you like to get involved at Painshill? We welcome all ages and interests. Whether you want to stay active, improve your mental health, gain work experience or meet new people – we can find a role that works for you.

David Willcocks

What is your role at Painshill? 

I do a multitude of roles! I regularly do Landscaping on Monday’s with Andy and his team, but I also do buggy tours, walking tours, volunteer coordinating, what else…! Oh, Grotto stewarding. That’s it.

Just a small list then! How long have you been a volunteer?

Since 6^th December 2017 – so 3 and ½ years now!

What role do you enjoy most?

Well I come from a farming background and when I was a student I used to work on a Forest Commission and on the farm, driving tractors and combines and those sort of things, so I was naturally attracted to Landscaping.

You get to work with a great bunch of people. A really nice team.

I am also interested in Wildlife generally so it gets me out to enjoy it. I also enjoy the Grotto Stewarding as people generally appreciate some information they wouldn’t normally get. Some people want to wiz through and get a selfie and others are really interested in the history. You get to speak with a variety of people – I‘m not exactly backward in coming forward to chat so the interaction with visitors is what I like.

What makes you come back to volunteer in the Landscape every week?

My wife would say it’s to get out of the house! I like being outside, I’m a very active person, I still play squash, so doing something physical is very important to me. I come back because A) I do get on really well with the team and the landscape guys and girls and we have a lunchtime all together outside – fresh air, the birds, all that good stuff! B) Its different from my previous working life – after 40 years working in London it’s a total contrast. It’s nice to be my own boss and have volunteer hours!

Do you have a favourite or most memorable task during your time at Painshill?

I did a buggy tour for an American gentleman who had been stationed here prior to D-Day during the war. He was on a big trip around Europe to revisit all the sites and he chose to come down to Painshill. He was quite elderly so I took him up to the Gothic Tower on the buggy and when we got back he gave me a $20 tip!

Wow what a result!

Yes that buggy tour stood out. Definitely memorable.

Why did you choose Painshill? 

Well I used to come here with the kids when they were little, and when I started working part time I started bringing them back and got to know the park. I wanted to drift into retirement slowly and wanted the chance to be unstructured. What appealed about Painshill is the flexibility. You don’t have to do the same shift on the same day each week.

I have also got to know a lot of people here and it becomes a big family in a funny sort of way. I hope I can keep going for many more years!

What would you say to anyone interested in becoming a volunteer?

Do it! Like many people I have other commitments and grandchildren etc. and you can’t always predict what you can do. This gives me the opportunity to come as much as I can, and at the same time not miss out on other parts of my life. That’s why I chose Painshill.

You come to know the park, get to know the people, you even get to know the swans and ducks like ‘Doris’!

What is your favourite spot at Painshill? 

Oooh gosh that’s difficult. The view from the Amphitheatre over the lake and the downs – absolutely gorgeous. My favourite tree is the Cork Tree. Not many people see it. It’s in the Amphitheatre near the statue.

For the last 40 years, Painshill Park Trust has worked tirelessly to bring the lost gardens of Painshill back to their former 18^th century glory – and we want to celebrate by using our Ruby Anniversary year to create a giant collage of visitor’s photographs.

Today, our spectacular 158-acre site is once again one of the most important and significant landscape gardens in the country.

With a history nearly as fascinating as the wonderful follies dotted through the landscape, our visionary park was designed in the 1700s by The Hon Charles Hamilton, who used a mix of architecture and horticulture to recreate the sights he saw on his two Grand Tours of Europe.

In the decades that followed, Painshill passed from owner to owner until it fell into ruin after World War Two.

Formed in 1981, Painshill Park Trust has spent the last 40 years tirelessly fundraising, painstakingly restoring each of the follies and recreating the breath-taking views for our 130,000 visitors a year.

There is still work to do and in our 40^th year we will be planning and fundraising for important landscape projects.

As well as honour the anniversary we would like to celebrate all that Painshill means to the community. We will be creating a giant collage of pictures and we’re asking for you to send us your photographs of Painshill – whether they’re of the spectacular scenery, the fantastic follies, or you and your family enjoying the grounds.

We know how much you love Painshill, and collecting your memories to create a giant collage will not only celebrate the restoration but also all the good times people have enjoyed here over the last four decades.

Please get involved today and share your pictures on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram #PainshillRuby or by emailing them to us at marketing@painshill.co.uk

A photo blog of the snow fall in January 2021

Sunday 24 January by Painshill volunteer Janice Newman

Netflix’s Bridgerton aired in the UK on Christmas Day 2020 and the Duke and Duchess of Hastings have certainly caused quite a stir! Netflix have announced today that it has become their biggest ever drama series.

A romantic, scandalous and quick-witted series, Bridgerton follows Daphne Bridgerton, the eldest daughter of the powerful Bridgerton family as she makes her debut onto Regency London’s competitive marriage market.

With spectacular scenery and decadent costumes, costumes Bridgerton is a feast for the eyes and is winning rave reviews from audiences all around the world.

We hope you spotted Painshill? It was used as a location for filming some of the scenes where the characters promenade and picnic.

We thought this would provide a lovely opportunity to tell you more about some of the programmes that have featured Painshill.

With its stunning 18th century follies and views free of modern buildings, Painshill has been chosen to represent gardens in various historical TV shows and feature films.

Notably among these are the 2009 Dorian Gray film, starring Ben Barnes and Colin Firth, and ITV’s Vanity Fair which aired in 2018.

Of all the filming in recent years, Painshill is featured most prominently in Netflix’s Black Mirror. The lake, the Five Arch Bridge, the Ruined Abbey and the Gothic Temple are all very recognisable.

What is also so interesting about Painshill is that it doesn’t need to be an 18th century landscape garden. There are many areas that film makers have used to create all sorts of locations. Painshill is often used to stand in for places such as Primrose Hill and Hyde Park, in London.

In the 2015 film Suffragette, Helena Bonham Carter, Carey Mulligan and Anne-Marie Duff are seen strolling along the banks of the Serpentine Lake.

Most recently, a distinctive crater in the Painshill woodland was used as Adam’s den for Amazon Prime’s Good Omens starring David Tennant and Michael Sheen.

Painshill locations have also looked fantastic in several music videos. The meadows and lake were used in Florence and the Machine’s Rabbit Heart and the Grotto features in Ellie Goulding’s Starry Eyed.

A landscape garden is not just for summer! A stunning display of colour makes Painshill a beautiful day out in autumn.

As the leaves turn, the acorns fall and the air becomes crisper Andy Mills, Painshill’s Head of Estates and Landscape, tells us about his five favourite Painshill trees

“Do I have to pick just 5? There are so many I love. Ok, here goes…

I could start with The Great Cedar but the problem is everybody starts with The Great Cedar. It’s the largest multi-stemmed cedar in Europe and so you can’t miss it and it gets a lot of attention. Instead, I am going to say the Cork Oak in the Amphitheatre. We know it was planted by Hamilton, the designer of Painshill, so is over 200 years old. Its bark is normally used for corks, hence the name, so it seems fitting that he planted close to the vineyard. It is evergreen however, so it will not give you autumn colour.

If it is colour you are seeking you must not miss the Red Oak very close to the Keyhole Plantation. It is my screensaver I love it so much. It stands out on the top of the slope and is the most stunning red at the end of the year. It’s also a Hamilton-era tree. Garden creators at that time would buy in plants from overseas. They would arrive in boxes after months on a ship and the designer wouldn’t know what plants were in the box or whether they had survived the journey. Hamilton would buy seeds and boxes from renowned collector John Bartram – this tree was probably one of them and came over from North America in the 18^th century.

For my third I would like to mention the Hornbeam by the Mausoleum. It is surrounded by yew trees so stands out against their green when its foliage becomes bright yellow. If visitors look closely they will see it is pictured in the painting on the information board. The painting, from the 18^th century, shows the tree as a sapling and I like the reminder of how long it has been there.

Another favourite are the trees very close to it – two extremely large Taxodiums by the water’s edge. They are stunning because of the reflections they cast into the water. Originally from The Everglades in Florida they thrive by the lake and these particular specimens are over 250 years old.

I have already mentioned two oaks however, there is another one I should add. The one near the Five Arch Bridge is a proper veteran and actually pre-dates Hamilton and the designing of Painshill. As do others like the London Planes along the river edge.

I also love the Cedar of Lebanon on Grotto Island. It might not be as big as The Great Cedar but I like where it is situated casting reflections onto the lake.

Oh, I have gone over five haven’t I…

I hope you can come and see them and many others for yourself this autumn!”

Plan a visit this autumn

Every spring Painshill is treated to wonderful displays of spring flowers. Follow our guide below for when and where to see them.

Please note: the timings can vary and exact dates cannot be predicted.

Snowdrops

When – Starting now and into Feb

Snowdrops carpet the ground in white across the east side of Painshill in early spring. There are already a few early ones this January. Galanthus nivalis (single snowdrops) and Galanthus nivalis “Flore-Plena” (double snowdrops) are both found at Painshill.

The best snowdrop walk is to take a stroll around the Serpentine Lake and head for the Waterwheel finding snowdrops at the Mausoleum, Cascade and the Five Arch Bridge.

Where – the Cascade and the Mausoleum

Daffodils

When – March into the beginning of April

Signs of the daffodils are already out there! Green shoots are making their way up across the Painshill woodland. Every 2 years the landscape team plant 5000 new daffodil bulbs. They stick to Narcissus pseudonarcissus (wild daffodil), Narcissus obvallaris (Tenby daffodil) and Narcissus aestivalis (Pheasant eye daffodil) as the planting must be in keeping with the 18th century landscape and fit with Charles Hamilton’s vision, although we have inherited a large number of Victorian varieties of daffodil planted after Hamilton left.

For a daffodil walk head through the woodland towards the Gothic Temple. After taking in the view from the Temple, wind around the paths in the area of the Chinese plantings. Head back via the Ruined Abbey and vineyard to see the displays along the lake side.

Where – Woodland close to the Visitor Centre and the Ruined Abbey

Along with the 5000 daffodils the landscape team also plant 1,500 different bulbs. They include Fritillaria meleagris (snakes eye fritillary), Leucojum vernum (the spring snowflake),  Tulipa tarda (the late tulip) and Scilla italica (the Italian bluebell). All bulbs planted by the Trust would have been used in the 18th century.

   The spring snowflake

Wild Garlic

When – March

Wild garlic is found all along the river edge in March. Take a leaf in your hands and you can’t miss the smell!

Where – By the river edge and around the Waterwheel

Bluebells

When – April and May

In April, the daffodils will be joined and followed by the Hyacinthoides non-scripta (English bluebells) which carpet the woodlands and infuse the air with their fantastic perfume.

To spot the bluebells, wander through the woodland behind the Ruined Abbey and then head over the Five Arch Bridge and up to the Turkish Tent to catch the view.

Where – Woodland behind the Ruined Abbey or in front of the Turkish Tent

Why not visit Painshill multiple times and enjoy all the flowers this spring! Join up as a Painshill membership and get unlimited entry. Find out more.