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BEYOND <strong>LONDON</strong> LUTON HOO Brown’s work has won many admirers including filmmakers – so you may well recognise Luton Hoo, its grounds and mile-long Lime Tree Avenue from productions such as War Horse and Gosford Park. This Bedfordshire country house was transformed into a 228-room five-star hotel in 2007 during a £60 million restoration. The neoclassical mansion dates back to 1767, but as work was done on the house, ‘Capability’ Brown was enlarging the grounds and damming the River Lea to create two picturesque lakes. Now spanning 1,000 acres, the massive project of returning the estate to its former glory included restoring the gardens, gravel pathways, ornamental ponds, formal lawns and boxed hedges. A key feature is Brown’s octagonal walled garden, which provided flowers, fruit, vegetables, herbs and honey to hotel guests. Another is a brick ha-ha. ‘Brown often used ha-has in his designs,’ says Evans. ‘These are dry ditches, or sunken fences, which divide formal gardens from landscaped parks without interrupting the view. They are often used to keep livestock off certain parts of an estate. The phrase “ha-ha” is also how laughter is written in English,’ she adds, ‘so it’s also an amusing play upon words.’ lutonhoo.co.uk HIGHCLERE CASTLE Synonymous with TV’s Downton Abbey, this Victorian mansion is the Berkshire home of the Earl and Countess of Carnarvon. Built in 1842, it is set in 1,000 acres of beautiful parkland and gardens designed by Brown, punctuated with 18th-century ‘follies’ – whimsical buildings constructed primarily for decoration. Lady Fiona, the Countess of Carnarvon, says: ‘The views from the lawns south to Siddown Hill are breathtaking. It is something about the serpentine expanse leading your eye and the trees framing the views. The flat tops of cedar trees float across the woods, which are mainly beech and oak. Then, leaving the park, visitors pass by the Temple of Diana and Dunsmere Lake, a key part of the vision for the park.’ So, what is she most excited about this year? ‘In May we have a week devoted to Brown, his work and aspects of the park here,’ Lady Fiona says, ‘revealing his story and the way he planned to lead you through the landscape. It will be fun to explore it all and share the history.’ The event Capability Brown at Highclere (15-22 May) includes a castle and garden tour. Top: Highclere Castle and its grounds Inset: The saloon at Highclere Castle HIGHCLERE CASTLE IMAGES COURTESY OF HIGHCLERE CASTLE 84 | <strong>LONDON</strong> PLANNER
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THE MAYOR’S LETTER A big welcome
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