Claremont — the gardener by the lake

London · United Kingdom · Natural site

An elderly man in a long dark cloak stands at the water's edge in Claremont's garden. Walk towards him and no one is there.

Claremont outside Esher was laid out in the eighteenth century, and its dramatic landscape garden with turf amphitheatre and artificial lake was created by William Kent for the Duke of Newcastle. It is Kent himself who is named as the figure by the water: an elderly man in a long dark cloak or overcoat, standing motionless at the lakeside, usually at dawn or dusk, dissolving as anyone approaches. The sightings have recurred for decades and nearly always concern the same stretch of shore below the amphitheatre. The place also carries the memory of Princess Charlotte, heir to the throne, who died in childbirth at Claremont in 1817 and was mourned across the kingdom. The combination of clipped scenery and that still figure at the water makes the garden uneasy well into the evening.

FAQ

Where is Claremont — the gardener by the lake located?

Claremont — the gardener by the lake is in London, United Kingdom.

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