The 4th Duke (1720-64) was a prominent Whig politician like his father, serving at Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and from November 1756 to May 1757 as Prime Minister of England. He made great changes to the park and garden. He decided that the house should be approached from the west, so he pulled down the old stables and offices which interfered with the view on this side, and razed the cottages of Edensor village which were visible from the house. The architect James Paine (c. 1716-89) was commissioned to build new stables up the slope to the north-east (completed 1763). The course of the river was altered and Paine designed a new bridge upstream of the house (1762). Land to the west of the river, and what remained of Edensor village was enclosed to become the park as it is today. Lancelot (ÔCapabilityÕ) Brown (1716-83) was engaged to destroy most of the 1st DukeÕs formal garden and to give the park the natural, romantic look which he had helped bring into fashion.
The 4th Duke married Lady Charlotte Boyle, only surviving daughter and heiress of the 3rd Earl of Burlington, the architect and connoisseur. This marriage brought new estates to the Cavendish family, including Lismore Castle in County Waterford, Londesborough Hall and Bolton Abbey in Yorkshire, Burlington House and Chiswick House in London. The inheritance included all Lord BurlingtonÕs architectural books and drawings as well as many paintings and everything else his houses contained.
The 4th Duke (1720-64) was a prominent Whig politician like his father, serving at Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and from November 1756 to May 1757 as Prime Minister of England. He made great changes to the park and garden. He decided that the house should be approached from the west, so he pulled down the old stables and offices which interfered with the view on this side, and razed the cottages of Edensor village which were visible from the house. The architect James Paine (c. 1716-89) was commissioned to build new stables up the slope to the north-east (completed 1763). The course of the river was altered and Paine designed a new bridge upstream of the house (1762). Land to the west of the river, and what remained of Edensor village was enclosed to become the park as it is today. Lancelot (ÔCapabilityÕ) Brown (1716-83) was engaged to destroy most of the 1st DukeÕs formal garden and to give the park the natural, romantic look which he had helped bring into fashion.
