‘Capability’ Brown fountain dedicated
Wednesday, 30th May 2018
A fountain in Westminster Abbey’s cloister garth to commemorate the tercentenary of the great 18th century landscape gardener Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was dedicated after Evensong on Tuesday 29th May 2018.
The service of dedication was taken by the Dean of Westminster, the Very Reverend Dr John Hall.
The fountain sits over an old monastic well in the garth. It was designed by Ptolemy Dean, the Abbey’s Surveyor of the Fabric and was developed with the assistance of TV gardener Alan Titchmarsh who gave a Reflection at the dedication service.
The fountain was made in lead by Brian Turner, who is a veteran exhibitor at the Chelsea Flower show..
Capability Brown designed over 170 parks, many of which still endure. He was nicknamed Capability because he would tell his clients that their property had ‘capability’ for improvement.
Water played a central part in his work. He also carried out works on a considerable number of former or redeveloped monastic buildings.
Order of Service for The Dedication of the Fountain in honour of Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown (c 1715–83) (PDF, 192KB)
