Eyecatcher
![]() |
Croome D'Abitot church was built as an eyecatcher by 'Capability' Brown when he landscaped the park for the 6th Earl of Coventry in the 1750s. |
An eyecatcher (also referred to as eye catcher or eye-catcher) is a decorative structure usually built at a focal point in an English landscape park or on the grounds of a stately home to attract visual attention or otherwise punctuate the vista with a sense of drama.
Eyecatchers are sometimes natural items (such as large stones or tree arrangements) but they can also be buildings constructed in a particular style. These structures often have no specific purpose and in terms of design, they tend to mimic styles that are out of context - both geographically and historically.
Examples include:
- Sham ruins.
- Follies.
- Ornamental bridges.
- Faux temples.
- Conservatories.
- Grottoes.
- Obelisks.
Lancelot ‘Capability’ Brown was an English landscape architect of the 1700s who designed more than 170 parks and came to be celebrated as ‘England’s greatest gardener’. Brown’s style is characterised by the smooth grass of a garden leading straight up to a house, trees scattered in groups, and serpentine lakes formed by small rivers. His designs often included eyecatchers, which were meant to draw the viewer’s eye across the horizon.
[edit] Related articles on Designing Buildings Wiki
IHBC NewsBlog
Victorian Bath House dug up from under a Manchester Car Park
A stunning Victorian Bath House has been uncovered during works on creating the city’s first public park in over 100 years.
APPG on ‘Conservation, Places and People’ Opens first Parliamentary Inquiry
The Inquiry is into ‘21st Century Places – Values & Benefits‘
Historic Photographer of the Year 2020 Winners Announced
The awards showcase the very best historic places and cultural sites from across the globe.
IHBC Launches new ‘Guidance Note’ on Alterations to Listed Buildings
The IHBC’s latest Toolbox Guidance Note, on ‘Alterations to Listed Buildings’ has been issued following UK-wide consultation.
Caithness Iron Age Stone Tower Conserved
The ruins of Ousdale Burn Broch, north of Helmsdale in Caithness, had fallen into further disrepair over the past 130 years.
The American Air Museum at Duxford has been listed Grade II*
Europe’s largest air museum and Britain’s best-preserved Second World War airfield – has been included in Grade II* listing, even though technically too recent.
West Dean College wins Sussex Heritage Trust Award 2020 for Roof Restoration
The College of Arts and Conservation has won the award for a for a project which provides or improves facilities for the community, including a £5.8M restoration of the College’s 126-year-old roof.
Stowe North Hall & WMF: A Step Closer to Completion
Completion of the restoration of Stowe House’s North Hall, largely funded by World Monuments Fund (WMF), came a step closer this summer with the installation of a statue of Mercury opposite the imposing Laocoön group installed last year.
IHBC CREATIVE Conservation Fund launched
The CREATIVE Conservation Fund helps the IHBC generate and distribute funds exclusively to deserving causes in built and historic environment conservation.
The tunnel near Plymouth with a nuclear secret
For years, there have been rumours whispered around Plymouth and Cornwall about so-called ‘nuclear tunnels’ that exist beneath the Tamar Valley.