Celebrate the 300th anniversary of Capability Brown

The Capability Brown Festival 2016 celebrates the life, work and legacy of 18^th century English landscape architect and Royal Gardener to King George III, Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown, whose 300^th anniversary falls this year. Brown is associated with more than 250 landscapes across England and Wales, including the well-known estates of Blenheim Palace (Oxfordshire), Chatsworth (Derbyshire) and Croome (Worcestershire) to hidden gems such as Compton Verney (Warwickshire) and Milton Abbey (Dorset).

2016 has already seen a myriad of events hosted at various Brown’s landscapes, with many more family-friendly events set to take centre stage over the summer holidays, including:

Music to Create a Landscape to Berrington Hall, Herefordshire (cared for by the National Trust)

2-3 July 2016

A weekend dedicated to live 18^th century music in Brown’s final landscape http://bit.ly/1U8DznY

 

Fringe in the Fen Festival, Fenstanton, Cambridgeshire

7-10 July

A mix of musical concerts finishing with the premiere of ‘The Fallen Elm’ – a piece specially commissioned for the Capability Brown Festival

http://bit.ly/1Ybm3Cl

 

Horse & Carriage Rides, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire

9-10 July and 19-21 August 2016

Travel across Brown’s landscape at Blenheim Palace, as Brown would have done in 18^th century Britain

http://bit.ly/28mQ9HP & http://bit.ly/1YbmeNL

 

Capability Brown Weekends

9-10 July and 13-14 August 2016

Wrest Park, Bedfordshire (cared for by English Heritage)

Guided tours, self-guided trails (where children can create Brown inspired landscapes in sandpits!), afternoon tea and tethered hot air balloon rides for admiring Brown’s landscape from above

http://bit.ly/1UCQY4Y & http://bit.ly/25NvBJz

 

Capability Brown Family Trail, Compton Verney, Warwickshire

1-31 August 2016

Find the tools of Brown’s trade hidden throughout the park at Compton Verney

http://bit.ly/1tjInP0

 

Brown’s Birthday Picnic, Gatton Park, Surrey

2 August 2016

Celebrate Brown’s 300^th birthday with a special picnic, traditional garden games and a child-friendly explore-tour of Gatton Park

http://bit.ly/1XbLrIL

 

Children’s Crafting Fun, Ickworth, Suffolk (cared for by the National Trust)

20-31 August 2016

Children’s arts and crafts inspired by Capability Brown’s landscapes and gardens

http://bit.ly/25NuWbc

 

Brown’s Birthday Weekend Celebrations, Wimpole, Cambridgeshire (cared for by the National Trust)

28 August 2016

Join the 300^th anniversary celebrations at Wimpole with a Capabili-Tea tent, a Georgian cricket match and performances by theatrical group The Pantaloons and Georgian inspired dance by Contretemps

http://bit.ly/1renva0 & http://bit.ly/24CawMm

 

Capability Brown’s Birthday Festival, Kirkharle, Northumberland

26-29 August 2016

A whole host of family friendly activities including crafts, games, pony carriage rides and even an appearance by Mr Brown himself! Events will climax with a traditional church fete at St Wilfred’s Church, where Brown was baptised in 1716

http://bit.ly/24CarZ5

 

A three-hour bell ringing marathon, Croome D’Abitot, Croome, Worcestershire (cared for by the National Trust)

30 August 2016

Listen out for the church bells of St Mary Magdalene (built by Brown) between 10:30-13:30 whilst walking through Brown’s landscape at Croome

http://bit.ly/1Upn1pf

 

For further details of events taking place this summer for the Capability Brown Festival 2016, visit www.capabilitybrown.org/events