Capability Brown 300


Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (1716-1783) is the creator of the ‘English landscape style’ and is regarded by landscape architects as the father of their profession.

His surviving landscapes include the World Heritage Site at Blenheim; sites on the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens; listed buildings; scheduled monuments; sites of special scientific interest; semi-natural ancient woodlands; and local sites of important nature conservation.

Brown’s landscapes also include designs for the settings of many of the greatest houses in the country, including Blenheim Palace, Alnwick, Chatsworth, Bowood, Warwick Castle and Croome, where he also built the main house for Lord Coventry. At Buckingham Palace, Brown did an undated plan for the garden when it was purchased by George III and he proposed a lake for St James’s Park similar to that constructed.

The 300th Birthday of Capability Brown in 2016 is an opportunity to understand his legacy and to increase appreciation and enjoyment of his landscapes.

To prepare for this important celebration an influential group of organisations, owners and individuals with a passion for Brown’s landscape legacy, have created the Capability Brown 300 Celebration and Festival. Partners include the Association of Gardens Trusts, English Heritage, the Garden History Society, the Historic Houses Association, the National Gardens Scheme, Natural England, Parks & Gardens UK, Visit Britain, the National Trust and the Landscape Institute.

Other organisations, owners and their estate teams and head gardeners, trusts, museums and galleries, institutes, colleges and schools are welcome to join this national partnership too.

Aims

  • To celebrate Capability Brown as an artist and landscape designer
  • To encourage an increased number of people to visit, learn about and enjoy Brown’s landscapes
  • To encourage a greater appreciation of our designed landscape heritage

Objectives

  • To open as many Brown landscapes, houses and features as possible during 2016 including sites that are not usually open to the public
  • To engage volunteers in all aspects of the 2016 celebrations
  • To promote the understanding of Brown’s art and designs and his influence through supporting and encouraging the development of television programmes, books, and exhibitions
  • To stimulate new research
  • To encourage and stimulate conservation projects
  • To champion and develop conservation skills
  • To apply for a Heritage Lottery Fund grant for the costs of coordinating the 2016 celebrations and attract other funding and sponsorship

Timetable

From 2014 to the end of 2015 we will be working with thousands of volunteers and the owners of Brown landscapes to make preparations for encouraging visitors to their sites and producing information about the history and significance of these important landscapes ready for a launch in early 2016.

Birthday Events and activities

An array of events and activities are being planned for 2016, some will be arranged directly by the partnership and others will be locally organised but will benefit from coordinated publicity.

  • Thousands of volunteers opening as many sites as possible
  • An online calendar of events and activities
  • Hub sites and exploration days to provide information, guidance, interpretation, visitor attraction ideas and support to other sites
  • Online discussion forum for owners and managers
  • National series of guides and site notes
  • Online guidance on Brown landscape conservation, biodiversity, management and public access; and special restoration projects
  • A major London exhibition and regional exhibitions
  • A commemorative Royal Mail stamp
  • New research by universities, students and volunteers, including collating a national reference resource for all sites on the Parks and Gardens UK online database
  • Showcase the work of related professionals to promote landscape conservation
  • Conferences, courses, lecture series, and tours – on foot, on bicycle and even on carriages
  • New books by a range of Brown experts