Historic Royal Palaces Acquires Portrait of Wills Hill, 1st Earl of Hillsborough

An 18^th century portrait of Wills Hill, 1^st Earl of Hillsborough, painted by renowned Scottish artist Allan Ramsay, has been acquired by independent charity, Historic Royal Palaces. The painting, which dates from 1745, has been permanently allocated to Hillsborough Castle and Gardens through the Acceptance in Lieu scheme, in recognition of its significance to the history of the site and its role in shaping British and Irish political history.

Wills Hill, 1^st Earl of Hillsborough (1718–1793), was a British politician, aristocrat, and landowner who built Hillsborough Castle near Belfast in the 1770s, and served as Secretary of State for the Colonies in the lead-up to the American War of Independence. Today, the Castle is cared for by Historic Royal Palaces and serves as the royal residence of King Charles III in Northern Ireland and the official residence of the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland. 

The portrait, painted in oil on canvas and set within an oval, captures Wills Hill at a pivotal moment in his career, as he began shaping both the local landscape of Hillsborough and his influence within British and Irish politics. Allan Ramsay (1713–1784) was a significant figure of the Scottish Enlightenment and whose work was influenced by Italian late baroque and of contemporary French art, which led to his appointment as Principal Painter to George III.

Now part of Hillsborough Castle’s collection, this portrait provides an important opportunity to explore the history of political power in the 18^th century. One of the many legacies of Wills Hill is the important role he played in establishing Hillsborough Castle and the surrounding village making this acquisition particularly significant to the Castle’s history.  The story of Hill and his family also provides a lens through which the relationship between landlords and tenants in the period can be examined.

Funded by the Apollo Foundation, the painting has undergone conservation work required for its long-term preservation. The treatment was delivered by externally commissioned painting and frame conservation specialists, while the conservation project was managed and overseen by our in-house conservators and is now on display in the State Entrance at Hillsborough Castle.