Thomas Hayton Mawson
Encyclopedia
Thomas Hayton Mawson better known as T. H. Mawson, was a British garden design
er, landscape architect
, and town planner.
er in a cotton mill
and later started a building business. He married Anna Prentice in 1884 and the Mawsons made their family home in Windermere, Westmorland
in 1885. They had four sons and five daughters. His eldest son, Edward Prentice Mawson
was a successful landscape architect and took over the running of his father's firm when his father developed Parkinson's disease
in 1923. Another son, John Mawson, moved to New Zealand
in 1928 as Director of Town Planning for that country.
where he gained experience in landscape gardening. In the 1880s he moved back north, where he and two brothers started the Lakeland Nursery in Windermere
. The firm became sufficiently successful for him to be able to turn his attention to garden design.
Mawson's first commission was a local property, Graythwaite Hall
, and his work there showed his hallmark blend of architecture and planting. He then designed the gardens at Langdale Chase
, Holehird, Brockhole, and Holker Hall
around the turn of the century.
In 1891 Mawson was commissioned to design and construct Belle Vue Park
in Newport
, Monmouthshire
, Mawson's first win in an open competition. His design was, in fact, designed for the neighbouring field, the site of the then Newport and Monmouthshire Hospital after Mawson misunderstood directions on his first visit. The mistake was not realised until the first site visit, after the contract had been awarded. Between 1894 and 1909 Mawson was commissioned to design and construct Dyffryn Gardens
near Cardiff
.
Later Mawson designed gardens in various parts of Britain, and others in Europe and Canada. In London he designed gardens at The Hill, in Hampstead for Lord Leverhulme. The impressive 800ft long pergola
is now open to the public as part of the West Heath
. He designed Rivington
Gardens and Lever Park in Lancashire also for Lord Leverhulme. Padiham Memorial Park (1921) was another commission in Lancashire.
In 1908 he won a competition to lay out the Peace Palace
gardens at The Hague
. He also advised on the development of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
in the United States. One of Mawson's more noted plans was for the city of Calgary
, Canada. Mawson's vision, had it been implemented, would have changed what was then a dusty prairie town, into a city of the City Beautiful movement
.
From 1910 to 1924 he lectured frequently at the school of civic design, Liverpool University. He also contributed articles on garden design to The Studio magazine and its annual The Studio Year Book of Decorative Art. In the 1920s he designed gardens for Dunira
, a country house in Perthshire.
In 1923 he became president of the Town Planning Institute
, and in 1929 the first president of the Institute of Landscape Architects
.
Mawson is buried in Bowness Cemetery
within a few miles of some of his best gardens and overlooking Windermere
.
Garden design
Garden design is the art and process of designing and creating plans for layout and planting of gardens and landscapes. Garden design may be done by the garden owner themselves, or by professionals of varying levels of experience and expertise...
er, landscape architect
Landscape architecture
Landscape architecture is the design of outdoor and public spaces to achieve environmental, socio-behavioral, or aesthetic outcomes. It involves the systematic investigation of existing social, ecological, and geological conditions and processes in the landscape, and the design of interventions...
, and town planner.
Personal life
Mawson left school at age 12. His father, who died in 1877, was a warpWarp (weaving)
In weaving cloth, the warp is the set of lengthwise yarns that are held in tension on a frame or loom. The yarn that is inserted over-and-under the warp threads is called the weft, woof, or filler. Each individual warp thread in a fabric is called a warp end or end. Warp means "that which is thrown...
er in a cotton mill
Cotton mill
A cotton mill is a factory that houses spinning and weaving machinery. Typically built between 1775 and 1930, mills spun cotton which was an important product during the Industrial Revolution....
and later started a building business. He married Anna Prentice in 1884 and the Mawsons made their family home in Windermere, Westmorland
Westmorland
Westmorland is an area of North West England and one of the 39 historic counties of England. It formed an administrative county from 1889 to 1974, after which the entirety of the county was absorbed into the new county of Cumbria.-Early history:...
in 1885. They had four sons and five daughters. His eldest son, Edward Prentice Mawson
Edward Prentice Mawson
Edward Prentice Mawson was the eldest of the nine children of Thomas Hayton Mawson, and, like his father a British garden designer, landscape architect, and town planner..-Education:...
was a successful landscape architect and took over the running of his father's firm when his father developed Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
in 1923. Another son, John Mawson, moved to New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
in 1928 as Director of Town Planning for that country.
Working life
To make a living, he worked first in the building trade in Lancaster, then at a London nurseryNursery (horticulture)
A nursery is a place where plants are propagated and grown to usable size. They include retail nurseries which sell to the general public, wholesale nurseries which sell only to businesses such as other nurseries and to commercial gardeners, and private nurseries which supply the needs of...
where he gained experience in landscape gardening. In the 1880s he moved back north, where he and two brothers started the Lakeland Nursery in Windermere
Windermere (town)
Windermere is a town and civil parish in the South Lakeland District of Cumbria, England. It has a population of 8,245. It lies about half a mile away from the lake, Windermere...
. The firm became sufficiently successful for him to be able to turn his attention to garden design.
Mawson's first commission was a local property, Graythwaite Hall
Graythwaite Hall
Graythwaite Hall, near Hawkshead, Cumbria in the Lake District of England is the home of the Sandys family. The grounds are open to the public, but the Hall is not....
, and his work there showed his hallmark blend of architecture and planting. He then designed the gardens at Langdale Chase
Langdale Chase
Langdale Chase consists of six acres of landscaped gardens sloping from the Langdale Chase Hotel to the shore of Windermere in Cumbria, in the Lake District of north west England. The Hotel was built as a private house in the late 18th century for a wealthy Manchester business family...
, Holehird, Brockhole, and Holker Hall
Holker Hall
Holker Hall is a country house with a celebrated garden situated on the Cartmel Peninsula, which was historically part of the county of Lancashire, but is now part of the county of Cumbria....
around the turn of the century.
In 1891 Mawson was commissioned to design and construct Belle Vue Park
Belle Vue Park
Belle Vue Park is a large Victorian public park in the west side of the city of Newport in South Wales. It was awarded a prestigious Green Flag Award on July 17, 2008-Features:...
in Newport
Newport
Newport is a city and unitary authority area in Wales. Standing on the banks of the River Usk, it is located about east of Cardiff and is the largest urban area within the historic county boundaries of Monmouthshire and the preserved county of Gwent...
, Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire
Monmouthshire is a county in south east Wales. The name derives from the historic county of Monmouthshire which covered a much larger area. The largest town is Abergavenny. There are many castles in Monmouthshire .-Historic county:...
, Mawson's first win in an open competition. His design was, in fact, designed for the neighbouring field, the site of the then Newport and Monmouthshire Hospital after Mawson misunderstood directions on his first visit. The mistake was not realised until the first site visit, after the contract had been awarded. Between 1894 and 1909 Mawson was commissioned to design and construct Dyffryn Gardens
Dyffryn Gardens
Dyffryn Gardens is a collection of botanical gardens located near the village of St. Nicholas in the Vale of Glamorgan, Wales. The gardens were selected by the British Tourist Authority as one of the Top 100 gardens in the UK.-History of The Dyffryn Estate:...
near Cardiff
Cardiff
Cardiff is the capital, largest city and most populous county of Wales and the 10th largest city in the United Kingdom. The city is Wales' chief commercial centre, the base for most national cultural and sporting institutions, the Welsh national media, and the seat of the National Assembly for...
.
Later Mawson designed gardens in various parts of Britain, and others in Europe and Canada. In London he designed gardens at The Hill, in Hampstead for Lord Leverhulme. The impressive 800ft long pergola
Pergola
A pergola, arbor or arbour is a garden feature forming a shaded walkway, passageway or sitting area of vertical posts or pillars that usually support cross-beams and a sturdy open lattice, often upon which woody vines are trained...
is now open to the public as part of the West Heath
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient London park, covering . This grassy public space sits astride a sandy ridge, one of the highest points in London, running from Hampstead to Highgate, which rests on a band of London clay...
. He designed Rivington
Rivington
Rivington is a small village and civil parish of the Borough of Chorley, Lancashire, England, occupying . It is about southeast of Chorley and about northwest of Bolton. Rivington is situated on the fringe of the West Pennine Moors, at the foot of Rivington Pike...
Gardens and Lever Park in Lancashire also for Lord Leverhulme. Padiham Memorial Park (1921) was another commission in Lancashire.
In 1908 he won a competition to lay out the Peace Palace
Peace Palace
The Peace Palace is a building situated in The Hague, Netherlands. It is often called the seat of international law because it houses the International Court of Justice , the Permanent Court of Arbitration, the Hague Academy of International Law, and the extensive Peace Palace Library.In addition...
gardens at The Hague
The Hague
The Hague is the capital city of the province of South Holland in the Netherlands. With a population of 500,000 inhabitants , it is the third largest city of the Netherlands, after Amsterdam and Rotterdam...
. He also advised on the development of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a United States National Park and UNESCO World Heritage Site that straddles the ridgeline of the Great Smoky Mountains, part of the Blue Ridge Mountains, which are a division of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain. The border between Tennessee and North...
in the United States. One of Mawson's more noted plans was for the city of Calgary
Calgary
Calgary is a city in the Province of Alberta, Canada. It is located in the south of the province, in an area of foothills and prairie, approximately east of the front ranges of the Canadian Rockies...
, Canada. Mawson's vision, had it been implemented, would have changed what was then a dusty prairie town, into a city of the City Beautiful movement
City Beautiful movement
The City Beautiful Movement was a reform philosophy concerning North American architecture and urban planning that flourished during the 1890s and 1900s with the intent of using beautification and monumental grandeur in cities. The movement, which was originally associated mainly with Chicago,...
.
From 1910 to 1924 he lectured frequently at the school of civic design, Liverpool University. He also contributed articles on garden design to The Studio magazine and its annual The Studio Year Book of Decorative Art. In the 1920s he designed gardens for Dunira
Dunira, Perthshire
Durnira is an estate of about in Perthshire, Scotland, about north-west of the town of Comrie and about north-west of Stirling. The estate is set against a backdrop of mountains, hills and rich lush lowland. Dunira was the home of Henry Dundas, 1st Viscount Melville, although the house he built...
, a country house in Perthshire.
In 1923 he became president of the Town Planning Institute
Royal Town Planning Institute
The Royal Town Planning Institute is a body representing planning professionals in the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland. It was founded in 1914.-Members:...
, and in 1929 the first president of the Institute of Landscape Architects
Landscape Institute
The Landscape Institute is a British professional body for landscape architects. Founded in 1929 as the Institute of Landscape Architects, it was granted a Royal Charter in 1997. The Institute aims to promote landscape architecture, and to regulate the profession with a code of conduct that...
.
Mawson is buried in Bowness Cemetery
Bowness-on-Windermere
Bowness-on-Windermere is a town in South Lakeland, Cumbria, England. Due its position on the banks of Windermere the town has become a tourist honeypot. Although their mutual growth has caused them to become one large settlement, the town is distinct from the town of Windermere as the two still...
within a few miles of some of his best gardens and overlooking Windermere
Windermere
Windermere is the largest natural lake of England. It is also a name used in a number of places, including:-Australia:* Lake Windermere , a reservoir, Australian Capital Territory * Lake Windermere...
.
Archive
More than 14,000 plans and drawings together with 6,500 glass plate negatives and photographs comprise the archive of Mawson documents. They are stored at Kendal Record Office and were offered to Cumbria County Archives following the closure of Thomas H. Mawson & Son of Lancaster and Windermere in 1978. As at 2010, the material has not been fully catalogued and conservation is proving difficult.Selected writings
- 1900: The Art and Craft of Garden Making, 1st edn 1900, 5th edn (recommended), 1926.
- 1908: "The Designing of Gardens", article in The Studio Year Book of Decorative Art 1908
- 1911: Civic Art Covers the principles of town planning
- 1927: The Life and Work of an English Landscape Architect