England > Famous People > Humphry Repton

Humphry Repton

Name: Humphry Repton
Born: 21st April 1752
Died: 24th March 1818 aged 65
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About Humphry Repton

Humphry Repton was a gentle soul. He was born in 1752, the son of an Essex career tax collector, and upon completing his education, was expected to follow his father into a commercial world. His tastes were for music, poetry and painting however and all his attempts to prosper in a business career made him unhappy. He did a stint in Ireland as Private Secretary to William Windham, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and it was while working for Windham that Repton conceived the idea of a career in gardening. He resolved to follow in the path of Capability Brown, and returned to Essex.

He worked tirelessly and steadily built up a reputation for himself. As part of his service he drew on his talents as a painter, preparing for his clients, before and after sketches illustrating his proposals. That he was asked to work on gardens originally laid down by Brown is a tribute to Humphry Repton's skill and artistry as a gardener. West Wycombe Park was just one of his outstanding successes, it has vista's little altered with the passage of time and, the house in its spectacular setting looks out over a panorama of lush trees and water-meadows.

Repton's contemporaries continued to design in the classical style, using temples a huge garden statutory. Repton abandoned this method in favour of a more relaxed and romantic image using fairy-like grottoes, flower-gardens and gravel paths bordered with delicate scented flowers and roses. The gardens at Betchworth House beside the River Mole in Surrey perfectly demonstrate all of Repton's guile and romantic vision.

During his long career for a time he focused on architecture. He built the grand Sheringham Hall in 1812-1818, and his son laid down the surrounding parkland. Repton was also a prolific writer of gardening articles, he wrote for noted periodicals and produced several books on landscaping.

Humphry Repton died in 1818, he lies buried in the peaceful churchyard of St.Michael and All Angels Church, Aylsham, Norfolk. It is believed that he wrote the epitaph inscribed on his grave stone.

Other famous people alive at the time of Humphry Repton

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Canning, Charles John	Born 14th December 1812, died 17th June 1862 aged 49
Canning, George	Born 11th April 1770, died 8th August 1827 aged 57
Cavendish, Henry	Born 10th October 1731, died 24th February 1810 aged 78
Cook, Captain James	Born 27th October 1728, died 14th February 1779 aged 50
Gaskell, Elizabeth	Born 29th September 1810, died 12th November 1865 aged 55
Hawker, Robert	Born 3rd December 1803, died 15th August 1875 aged 71
Owen, Robert	Born 14th May 1771, died 17th November 1858 aged 87
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Peel, Robert	Born 5th February 1788, died 2nd July 1850 aged 62
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