Re-Blog
As most of you know, I absolutely adore Capability Brown and his designs. He was certainly the largest influence on grand estates (along with the Adam brothers, of course!) in the eighteenth century. I have found a great post on Brown, and wanted to share it with you. With permission from the poster, I am Re-Bloging from the blog The Private Life of William Pitt. See link below to go directly to the webpage, and read her great post bolow!
The Private Life of William Pitt (1759-1806): Lancelot 'Capability' Brown: Correspondence with L...: Lancelot 'Capability' Brown c. 1768 by Nathaniel Dance Lancelot Brown (1716-1783),
28 February 2014
Lancelot 'Capability' Brown: Correspondence with Lady Hester Chatham
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Lancelot 'Capability' Brown c. 1768 by Nathaniel Dance
Lancelot Brown (1716-1783), commonly known as 'Capability' Brown due to his frequent use of the
word in reference to the potential of the projects submitted to him, was one of the most prolific English
landscape gardeners of the 18th century. He worked on over 170 gardens and parks, many of which
endure and can still be visited today.
word in reference to the potential of the projects submitted to him, was one of the most prolific English
landscape gardeners of the 18th century. He worked on over 170 gardens and parks, many of which
endure and can still be visited today.
One of these sites was Burton Pynsent, the former Somerset estate of William Pitt the Elder, 1st
Earl of Chatham. The pleasure grounds of Burton Pynsent were laid out jointly by Capability Brown
and Pitt the Elder (who was also a keen amateur landscape architect) soon after the estate was
bequeathed to Pitt by Sir William Pynsent in 1765. Pitt also commissioned Lancelot Brown to
design a column at Burton Pynsent commemorating Pynsent's benefaction [1].
Earl of Chatham. The pleasure grounds of Burton Pynsent were laid out jointly by Capability Brown
and Pitt the Elder (who was also a keen amateur landscape architect) soon after the estate was
bequeathed to Pitt by Sir William Pynsent in 1765. Pitt also commissioned Lancelot Brown to
design a column at Burton Pynsent commemorating Pynsent's benefaction [1].
The Burton Pynsent Monument on Troy Hill
Lady Hester Chatham (nee Grenville), the devoted wife of William Pitt the Elder, was familiar with
Capability Brown from her young adulthood. Brown was living and working at Wotton Underwood,
Lady Hester's childhood home, and he was employed under the landscape architect William Kent
at her maternal uncle Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham's estate at Stowe in Buckinghamshire.
Brown began work at Stowe in 1741, and upon his own merits he rose to the position of head
gardener [2]. Brown remained in that capacity until 1750, when at the recommendation of Lord
Cobham, Brown became increasingly sought after by other landed families. King George II later
appointed Capability Brown as head gardener of Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle [3].
Capability Brown from her young adulthood. Brown was living and working at Wotton Underwood,
Lady Hester's childhood home, and he was employed under the landscape architect William Kent
at her maternal uncle Richard Temple, 1st Viscount Cobham's estate at Stowe in Buckinghamshire.
Brown began work at Stowe in 1741, and upon his own merits he rose to the position of head
gardener [2]. Brown remained in that capacity until 1750, when at the recommendation of Lord
Cobham, Brown became increasingly sought after by other landed families. King George II later
appointed Capability Brown as head gardener of Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle [3].
As might naturally be expected, there are many preserved letters from members of the 18th century
aristocracy and landed gentry to Lancelot Brown. Amongst one collection of these letters at The
British Library, there are over 100 letters to and from Brown to his clients and family. What
I found striking, and noteworthy, is that there is only one female patron whose letters to Brown are
still in existence, and that is Lady Hester Chatham. When Lord Chatham was ill, which unfortunately
was frequently the case as he got older, Lady Chatham dealt with his correspondence and
acted as his secretary. Unsurprisingly, this also included managing their financial affairs. The banker
Thomas Coutts once called Lady Chatham 'the cleverest man of her time,' and her intellect was
astounding [4].
What was even more incredible to me as I sat down expecting to read all about landscape gardening
techniques, was that not once does Lady Hester mention anything of the sort. In fact, the letters
from her to Brown do not mention gardening once, but are mostly about politics. At the time of the
letter I have transcribed below, the American War of Independence was well under way, and Lady
Chatham was writing to Lancelot Brown about her and her husband's stance on the crisis. From the
tone of the letter, it seems she felt Brown was not necessarily in concurrence with their views
on the subject, despite the bonds of friendship which had subsisted between them.
Hester Chatham to Lancelot 'Capability' Brown, sent from Hayes Place, Kent (another Pitt family
estate) on Thursday Novr 13th, 1777:
estate) on Thursday Novr 13th, 1777:
“Sir,
Neither I nor my Lord [Pitt the Elder] have wanted any assurance that your conduct respecting
him, at all times, is ever dictated by your kind Friendship towards us. The Letter I have just
received from you is an additional Proof of it, and claims our sincerest Thanks. It is impossible
not to feel sensibly the Animation of your Conversation in support of the rectitude of your Lord’s
Principles, and of his Zeal for the Prosperity of the Whole Empire, and for the true, Solid Glory of
His Majesty [George III]. You may be persuaded that your having been heard favorably and
without Acrimony, affords real Comfort and Happiness to my Lord [her husband], who is most
undoubtedly actuated in all he does, or means to do, by the purest Motives of disinterested
concern for the King, and the Country.
You know that this is not Words, but an existing Truth, to which his conduct has been always
consistent. His [Pitt's] View of Things now tells him ruin is at our Door if not immediately prevented.
From the Stamp Act [a harsh tax placed upon the American Colonists in 1766] to this day, his
[Pitt's] Judgments, he says, concerning America, have never varied. In the present terrifying Crisis,
to be silent the first day wou’d be want of Duty to the King, and utter insensibility to the public
Calamities. The Ardent Wish of my heart cooperates entirely with his, that the Past may be redeem’d
by happier Councils! You join, I am sure, in the same honest hope. The sentiments of Esteem and
Friendship which my Lord, and my self, have for you are of the most unfeign’d sort, which I beg you to
believe, as well as that I am ever Sir,
him, at all times, is ever dictated by your kind Friendship towards us. The Letter I have just
received from you is an additional Proof of it, and claims our sincerest Thanks. It is impossible
not to feel sensibly the Animation of your Conversation in support of the rectitude of your Lord’s
Principles, and of his Zeal for the Prosperity of the Whole Empire, and for the true, Solid Glory of
His Majesty [George III]. You may be persuaded that your having been heard favorably and
without Acrimony, affords real Comfort and Happiness to my Lord [her husband], who is most
undoubtedly actuated in all he does, or means to do, by the purest Motives of disinterested
concern for the King, and the Country.
You know that this is not Words, but an existing Truth, to which his conduct has been always
consistent. His [Pitt's] View of Things now tells him ruin is at our Door if not immediately prevented.
From the Stamp Act [a harsh tax placed upon the American Colonists in 1766] to this day, his
[Pitt's] Judgments, he says, concerning America, have never varied. In the present terrifying Crisis,
to be silent the first day wou’d be want of Duty to the King, and utter insensibility to the public
Calamities. The Ardent Wish of my heart cooperates entirely with his, that the Past may be redeem’d
by happier Councils! You join, I am sure, in the same honest hope. The sentiments of Esteem and
Friendship which my Lord, and my self, have for you are of the most unfeign’d sort, which I beg you to
believe, as well as that I am ever Sir,
Your most Faithful and very humble servant, Hester Chatham. [5]
What an amazing woman to stand her ground, and freely talk politics in a world dominated at that
time entirely by men!
References:
2. Hinde, Thomas (1986) Capability Brown: The Story of a Master Gardener. London:
Hutchinson, p. 19.
Hutchinson, p. 19.
3. Loudon, J.C. (1840) The gardener's magazine, and register of rural & domestic
improvement, Vol. XVI. London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longmans, p. 327.
4. Meryon, C.L. (1846) Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope, Vol. 3 (2nd edition). London:
Colburn, p. 305.
improvement, Vol. XVI. London: Longman, Orme, Brown, Green & Longmans, p. 327.
4. Meryon, C.L. (1846) Memoirs of the Lady Hester Stanhope, Vol. 3 (2nd edition). London:
Colburn, p. 305.
5. British Library. Capability Brown Letters. Add Ms 69795, f. 99.
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