A Classic View

The English Landscape Movement developed in the  Classical period of the 18th century was inspired by the travels of rich young men on the Grand Tours through Europe to finish their classical education.  

Claremont Landscape Garden was originally designed as a formal garden for the Duke of Newcastle around the 1720s by landscape designer Charles Bridgeman, with this most notable addition being a three-acre turf amphitheatre, painstakingly carved into 'Bridgeman's Hill', and built between 1720-22. However, by the mid 1730’s, these formal designs were out of favour as the English landscape garden became popular, most notably those designed by Lancelot "Capability" Brown, who is believed to have had some input to the gardens here. 

The main updates to the gardens at Claremont were designed by William Kent, including an extension to the round basin pond below the amphitheatre to form the larger, serpentine lake. Fortunately, unlike on many other estates, the amphitheatre was retained and is believed to be the largest of its type left in Europe.