The Duke of Abercorn visits Painshill
Painshill was delighted on 16 May to welcome James Hamilton, 5th Duke of Abercorn, to visit the Park and take a tour of the landscape. He was accompanied by his son James Hamilton, Marquess of Hamilton.
The Duke of Abercorn is a Patron of the Painshill Park Trust and lineal descendant of The Honourable Charles Hamilton, who created Painshill between 1738 and 1773.
The title is a Peerage of Ireland. The first Lord Abercorn received his title in 1603 from James VI (James I of England) in acknowledgement of his service to the King. The family title was elevated to Earl in 1606, Marquess in 1790 and Duke in 1898.
Charles Hamilton, the creator of Painshill, was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1704. He was the fourteenth child and ninth son of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn.
After making two Grand Tours across Europe he settled for many years in Cobham and, inspired by landscape paintings, European and Classical architecture and exotic new plants, created his spectacular landscape. Charles had the eye of an artist and dedicated his creative genius to the layout and composition of a landscape that went on to influence designs in Europe, Russia and America.
Sir Stephen Lamport, Chairman of Painshill Park Trust, said “Charles Hamilton was a brilliantly gifted garden designer who created one of the finest English Landscape Gardens in the world. But Painshill’s family connection was lost over the years. The father of the present Duke of Abercorn never had the delight of a visit to Painshill because the garden had fallen into disrepair and been effectively lost, so it was a particular pleasure to be able to show the present Duke and his son the wonderful progress the charity has made to restore Painshill to their ancestor Charles Hamilton’s original vision.”
