Why not visit... Painswick Rococo Gardens?
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Tucked just off the A46, north of the small town of Painswick, is Painswick House with its rococo gardens, hidden away in a small valley.
The rococo style came about as a reaction against the more formal and geometric Louis XIV style. It started in Paris, France in the early 1720s, spread rapidly to many parts of Europe and flourished until about 1760.
Credit: Martin Marais
The Rococo style
The characteristic of the rococo style is its exuberant decoration, with an abundance of curves, counter-curves, undulations and elements modelled on nature. While the exteriors of Rococo buildings are often simple, their interiors are entirely dominated by elaborate ornamentation.
In Britain, rococo was called the "French taste". It was slow arriving in the country and had less influence on design and the decorative arts than in continental Europe. Nevertheless, it did make it across the channel and the gardens at Painswick are one of the best examples of the style in the country. The gardens are designed to surprise and delight and are well worth a visit. Another reason for visiting is to see the swathes of snowdrops that, when in bloom, cover the ground like late winter snow.
Credit: Martin Marais
Pretty as a picture
Painswick House was constructed in the mid 1730s by Charles Hyett to allow him to escape the pollution of Gloucester. Unfortunately, he died in 1738 and the estate was inherited by his son, another Charles. It was this second Charles that set about creating the rococo gardens. In 1748, he commissioned the artist Thomas Robins to paint the gardens. This was to turn out to be a most fortuitous commission.
Thomas Robins was an English artist and is renowned for his depictions of English country houses and their gardens. His work is of particular historical value as he recorded many rococo gardens that have since disappeared.
Painswick was an example of this, for by the 1760s fashions had shifted again and the English landscape garden became the new thing, while rococo was denounced as vulgar. Over the next 200 years, the gardens at Painswick went through a number of redesigns. Then in the 1950s they were abandoned and allowed to revert back to nature. By the 1980s the gardens were little more than a tangled jungle.
An Inspiration - Restoring the garden to its original rococo style
In 1984, inspired by Robin's painting of the gardens, an article about the Rococo gardens of Painswick appeared in the journal Garden History. Having read the article, the then owners of Painswick decided to set about restoring the garden to its original rococo style, using Robins painting as a guide. The rest, as they say, is history.
A place full of surprises
Today the restoration continues under the auspices of the Painswick Rococo Garden Trust. The gardens are the only ones of this style in the country that are open to the public.
In recognition of their historical value, the gardens are grade II* listed and the house (not open to the public) is a grade I listed building.
Visiting Painswick Rococo Gardens
The gardens open in mid-January, so visitors can delight in the oceans of snowdrops, and remain open until November, but times vary through the year so it is best to check the trust's website before you visit. Also, during 2022 there may be a need to pre-book your visit due to Covid restrictions.
Last updated: 23 August 2023 - Please note: This blog was first written over a year old and things may have changed since the blog was written.
