William Emes

William Emes (1729 or 1730–13 March 1803) was an English landscape gardener.

Biography Details of his early life are not known but in 1756 he was appointed head gardener to Sir Nathaniel Curzon at Kedleston Hall, Derbyshire. He left this post in 1760 when Robert Adam was given responsibility for the entire management of the grounds. During his time at Kedleston he had started to alter the earlier formal nature of the park and had constructed the upper lake. Also during this time he married Mary Innocent, who was his servant and the daughter of a tailor. Together they had five sons and three daughters. His son John Emes who was born in 1762 was a successful engraver and silversmith.

After leaving Kedleston he moved to live in Bowbridge House, (Not Bowbridge Fields farm as previously thought) Mackworth. This was later the home of Edward Darwin (son of Erasmus Darwin, who was Emes' friend through the Lunar Society) where he developed his practice as a landscape designer, which was concentrated mainly in the Midlands and in north Wales. His style was similar to that of Lancelot 'Capability' Brown. At Eaton Hall, Cheshire, Emes was called in to replace Brown by Lord Grosvenor. Emes also designed a few minor buildings. Markeaton Hall Shipley Hall Darley Park Radbourne Hall (1790) Locko Hall (1792) Heaton Hall (1770)

Hampshire Brockenhurst Park Carlton Hall, Carlton in Lindrick (1783)

Shropshire Walcot Park (c. 1774) Halston Hall (1770s) Aston Hall (near Oswestry) (1780) Badger Hall and Dingle (c. 1780) Dudmaston Hall Millichope Park Cheswardine Hall, Chipnall

Staffordshire Ingestre Erddig, Denbighshire (1768–89) Llanrhaeadr Hall, Denbighshire (1771) Hawarden Old Rectory, Flintshire (1774) Gregynog, Montgomeryshire (1774) Margam Park, Glamorganshire Rhiwlas, Montgomeryshire