A clergyman, author and, as the Oxford Companion to Gardens puts it, 'the true pioneer of the picturesque'. He learned drawing from his father and toured Britain in search of Picturesque Scenery. This was described and illustrated in his books. He published Observations on various parts of Britain and an influential book of Remarks on Forest Scenery (1791). His nephew, William Sawrey Gilpin worked as a garden designer.
