Romantic garden loved by Royals that looks straight out of a fairytale
This 18th-century garden was created to be a 'living painting', and became incredibly popular with the Royals
Painshill Park in Cobham is a breathtaking 18th-century garden, offering walks that transport you straight into a picturesque painting. The park, constructed by politician Charles Hamilton between 1738 and 1773, boasts a crystal grotto, a gothic tower, and its very own vineyard.
Over the nearly three centuries since its inception, the park has been a beloved spot for several Royals, including Queen Charlotte, wife of King George III, and her daughters. Queen Victoria and Prince Albert also graced the park with their presence in the 1840s.
After restoration efforts in the 70s and 80s, Sarah, Duchess of York, and Prince William have both made appearances at Painshill. Other notable visitors include early American presidents John Adams and Thomas Jefferson.
Hamilton envisioned the park as a 'living painting', complete with lakes, open parkland, and a variety of ornamental buildings.
Drawing inspiration from numerous landscape paintings, Hamilton added everything from a crystal grotto to a Turkish tent, a Gothic Temple and a Temple of Bacchus, to the grounds.
The latter housed a statue of Bacchus, which Hamilton had transported back to England from one of his European Tours. While no longer inside the temple, this statue can now be admired outside of the gift shop.
While many of the park's features are purely decorative, Charles also introduced a vineyard, which began producing wine in the 1750s. The vineyard was later replaced with rustic steps in 1903, but was restored to its original purpose in the 1990s when grapevines were replanted.
In 1773, just a year after Charles added his final creation - a ruined abbey - to the park, he was forced to sell the gardens to Benjamin Bond Hopkins due to mounting debts. Although Benjamin largely preserved Painshill as it was, subsequent owners continued to alter the landscape.
With the onset of World War II in 1939, the park was requisitioned by the military and subsequently abandoned for several years, falling into disrepair.
Restoration efforts began after Cobham historian David Taylor brought the park's plight to public attention in the 1960s. In the 1980s, these efforts intensified, with the gothic temple being the first structure to be restored, followed swiftly by the gothic tower and the ruined abbey.
The Park Trust is currently crowdfunding the costs for restoration work on Painshill's Chinese Bridge.
Painshill Park is open daily 10am-6:00pm, although the Crystal Groto is closed on Mondays. Tickets can be booked online or purchased on the day, with prices starting at £6.00.
