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All the United Kingdom England Cobham Painshill Park Follies

Painshill Park Follies

Amazing collection of folly buildings in Cobham, Surrey.

Cobham, England

Added By
mondoagogo
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Turkish Tent, Painshill Park.   mondoagogo / Atlas Obscura User
Turkish Tent, Painshill Park.   mondoagogo / Atlas Obscura User
Gothick Temple, Painshill Park.   mondoagogo / Atlas Obscura User
Gothick Tower, Painshill Park.   mondoagogo / Atlas Obscura User
Grotto detail…builder definitely had a sense of humour!   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
The Hermitage   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
View over the lakes - several follies in sight   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Approach to the Lookout Tower - very “fairytale”   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Views from one folly to another are part of the attraction…   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Waterwheel close-up   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Painshill Park is great in any weather…lends itself to the moody look!   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Gothick Temple close up   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
There is also some sculpture in the park, related to the viewing axes…   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
The Mill at the Cascade   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
The ruined chapel (all the ruins were built as ruins!).   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
Another double view - Grotto with Gotick Temple in background   petrahudson / Atlas Obscura User
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About

Considered one of the best remaining examples of an 18th-century English landscape park, Painshill is a popular tourist destination.

Owned by the Elmbridge Borough Council and managed by the Painshill Park Trust, Painshill Park has been around for well over two hundred years: It was created by Charles Hamilton between 1738 and 1773.

Born in Dublin in 1704, Hamilton was the 14th child of the 6th Earl of Abercorn. Educated at Westminster School and Oxford, Hamilton spent much of his time on grand tours of the world. Over the years, he built Painshill up to more than 200 acres. His influence was such that his park helped to launch the Landscape Movement in England in 1730.

Many of the trees that you will find in Painshill were shipped in all the way from Philadelphia by the naturalist John Bartram. The Great Cedar tree in the park is thought to be the largest of its kind in all of Europe.

Related Tags

Follies Parks Architectural Oddities Follies And Grottoes Architecture

Know Before You Go

Painshill Park can be reached via the M25 / J10 / A3 towards London. Exit at Junction with A245 towards Cobham.

Community Contributors

Added By

mondoagogo

Edited By

Blindcolour, petrahudson

  • Blindcolour
  • petrahudson

Published

October 20, 2010

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Sources
  • Garden Visit: Painshill Park: http://www.gardenvisit.com/garden/painshill_park
  • Wikipedia: Painshill Park: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Painshill_Park
  • Visit London: Painshill Park Trust: http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/detail/281086
Painshill Park Follies
Painshill Park
Portsmouth Road
Cobham, England, KT11
United Kingdom
51.327115, -0.434675
Visit Website
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Nearby Places

Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower

Cobham, England

miles away

Brooklands Racetrack Remains

Weybridge, England

miles away

Blanche Heriot and the Curfew Bell

Chertsey, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
Stories 144

Nearby Places

Chatley Heath Semaphore Tower

Cobham, England

miles away

Brooklands Racetrack Remains

Weybridge, England

miles away

Blanche Heriot and the Curfew Bell

Chertsey, England

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of England

England

United Kingdom

Places 2,199
Stories 144

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