Charles Hamilton

Charles Hamilton (13 November 1704 – 18 September 1786), styled The Honourable from birth, was a British politician. He was a younger son of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn. He represented Strabane in the Irish House of Commons between 1727 and 1760. He sat also for Truro in the British House of Commons from 1741 to 1747. He is most remembered as the creator of Painshill Park near Cobham in Surrey.

Early life Charles Hamilton was born in Dublin in 1704, the 9th son and 14th child of James Hamilton, 6th Earl of Abercorn. In 1718, he became a pupil at Westminster School, where he was a contemporary of John Petty, 1st Earl of Shelburne, the future owner of Bowood House.

Hamilton began studying at Oxford University in 1720, where he formed friendships with Henry Hoare, who would later create the gardens at Stourhead, Wiltshire, and the brothers Stephen Fox, the future 1st Earl of Ilchester, and Henry Fox, the future 1st Baron Holland. After gaining a BA in 1723, Hamilton set off on his first Grand Tour in 1725 and, while in Rome, collected numerous artworks and became familiar with the landscape paintings of Claude Lorrain, Nicolas Poussin and Salvator Rosa.

Painshill Park

Hamilton began to acquire property at Painshill near Cobham in Surrey in 1737, eventually creating an estate of more than . He also advised on the layout and planting scheme for Holland Park, Kensington, and may have been consulted on the design of the landscape garden at Saltram House, Devon.

Marriages and children The details of Hamilton's first marriage are unclear. His wife, whose name is unknown, gave birth to two daughters, Jane and Sarah, but died young. He married his second wife, Agnes Cockburn of Ayr, Scotland in 1772, but she died the same year, aged 39.

Retirement and death After selling Painshill in 1773, Charles Hamilton moved to Bath, Somerset. He died at his house in Lansdown Road on 11 September 1786 and was buried in Bath Abbey.