The people of Fenstanton will celebrate the 300th anniversary of the baptism of landscape architect Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown with a floral and choral tribute.
Lord of the Manor of Fenstanton and Hilton, he designed hundreds of estate gardens in and around Cambridgeshire including Audley End, the Backs in Cambridge, Burghley House, Madingley Hall and Wimpole Hall.
He died, aged 66, in February 1783, and is buried in the churchyard of Fenstanton Parish Church. A preview of the flower festival will take place on Friday evening, August 19, between 7.30pm and 9pm, when the arrangers will be on hand to explain their creations.
On Tuesday August 23 a group of cyclists from the village will leave Brown’s birthplace in Kirkharle, Northumberland, to ride around 300 miles to his graveside in Fenstanton. They plan to arrive in time for the 4pm start of a picnic-barbecue on Saturday August 27.
The ride is to raise money for major renovations needed to the Brown family’s memorial in the chancel of the parish church, which has become impaired by water damage over the centuries.
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