Painswick Rococo Gardens, Gloucestershire, England

The following is from the English Heritage Register of Parks and Gardens of Special Historic Interest.

HISTORIC DEVELOPMENT

In 1733 Charles Hyett bought an ancient copyhold estate called the Herrings from the Adney family and built a gentleman's residence, Buenos Ayres, on the site. From Charles (died 1738) the estate passed in turn to his sons Benjamin (died 1762), under whom its rococo landscape garden was laid out and paintings by Thomas Robins commissioned, and Nicholas (died 1777) and then to Nicholas' son Benjamin. The last (died 1810) devised Painswick House and lands adjoining to his wife's cousin, Mrs. Frances Adams (died 1828), for life with reversion to her son William Henry, who assumed the surname Hyett in 1813. He, MP and agricultural scientist, much enlarged the estate in the early and mid-19th century, and in 1847 acquired the freehold of his properties. On his death in 1877 the estate passed to his son Francis Adams Hyett (knighted 1919, died 1941). His three daughters and heiresses made over the estate to their kinsman Lord Dickinson. The main part of the site remains (1999) in private hands while since 1988 the valley pleasure grounds have been vested in the Painswick Rococo Garden Trust.