Claremont Garden

When I went to Claremont on Saturday I bought these things from the shop. The pencils and magnet will go in my Christmas cupboard….. maybe to go in home-made crackers ! Although I have read about the history of the gardens previously revisiting this in the little book is interesting. The photo on the cover shows the amphitheatre, one of the most striking features of the garden that remains from its original design.
 In 1714 Thomas, Duke of. Newcastle (aged just 21) bought the Claremont estate from the architect and playwright Sir John Vanburgh. In the next 50:years the house and gardenp increased in splendour and was among the most famous landscape gardens in Europe. At its largest it was 1,500 acres surrounding a large house( now a school and not part of the National Trust). The Duke of Newcastle was Prime Minister twice and Secretary of State for nearly 30 years. The estate was a retreat from an intense public and political life. The Duke and Duchess created  Claremont both for their own pleasure and that of their friends. They were childless and the development and care of the garden became rather like a substitute family. They lived there for 55 years until 1769.