Capability Brown
Born in Kirkharle, Northumberland in 1716, Brown was one of England’s foremost landscape designers by the time he came to Burton Constable. His work throughout the Georgian period saw him use his architectural, engineering and design skills to completely reshape vast parks across England. As Brown preferred the ‘naturalistic’ style of lakes, trees and rolling parkland to the more formal styles of the Tudor and Stuart periods, his work saw many formal gardens disappear – including ours!
Also lost was an impressive stove garden (a heated greenhouse-type structure) which William had built to indulge in his love of botany, the study of plants, and to grow exotic foods for the house. As it would disrupt Brown’s scheme, the building was destroyed only 20 years after its construction. Today the walled gardens are beyond the lake.