{"id":19602,"date":"2022-01-06T12:08:09","date_gmt":"2022-01-06T17:08:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=19602"},"modified":"2022-01-06T12:23:56","modified_gmt":"2022-01-06T17:23:56","slug":"episode-505-why-was-eywood-demolished-in-1954-history-of-eywood-from-18th-century-to-21st-century","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/?p=19602","title":{"rendered":"EPISODE 505 WHY WAS EYWOOD DEMOLISHED IN 1954? (HISTORY OF EYWOOD FROM 18TH CENTURY TO 21ST CENTURY)"},"content":{"rendered":"
EPISODE  505   WHY WAS EYWOOD DEMOLISHED IN 1954? (AND history of Eywood\u2019s owners)<\/p>\n

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alan skeoch<\/div>\n
Jan. 5, 2022<\/div>\n

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This is (was) Cyril Griffiths to whom I owe so much.  He was once the tenant farmer of Oatcroft which was sold from under him even<\/div>\n
though he had tenant farmers rights.  Or so I believe.  My grandparents enduring contact via mail with the Griffiths family<\/div>\n
was the sole reason I was able to make contact and delve deep into the history of Eywood.  Cyril moved to Lower Wooton<\/div>\n
Farm when Eywood was sold  If time permits I will do an episode on Lower Wooten Farm. Below is a roadsign post should readers want<\/div>\n
more information or pictures of Titley and surrounding villages.  They are stunning places<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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The history of Eywood is not a happy history like that of the fictional Downton Abbey.  But there were<\/div>\n
good times.   I think my grandfather took this picture with his pinhole camera between 1900 and 1908.<\/div>\n
The Chauffeur looks very young and very determined   One of my readers can probably identify the car<\/div>\n
and year of manufacture.  Similar vehicles appeared in the Downton Abbey series.<\/div>\n

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note: It is unclear why the demolition of Eywood was incomplete.  When I visited the site for the first time these walls were standing and<\/div>\n
in the middle of the floor area there was a hole that I  was told gave access to the wine cellar.  Big enough to crawl through.  No wine that<\/div>\n
I could see.<\/div>\n

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\u201cWhy was Eywood demolished?\u201d<\/div>\n
Several readers have asked that question.  The answer is complicated. Perhaps best understood<\/div>\n
by considering the history of Eywood.  Many country estates had several owners particularly so as<\/div>\n
the 20th century progressed and taxes increased putting an enormous burden on the old guard of<\/div>\n
places like Eywood.  i.e. the aristocracy of Britain.  But to just say taxes is too simple.   So here is<\/div>\n
the history of the place.<\/div>\n

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1)  Edward Harley (1664-1735) acquired the Eywood estate at the end if 17th century and build a house about 1705.  His younger brother Robert Harley was Speaker of the House of Commons and<\/div>\n
Chancellor of the Exchequer in reign of Queen Anne.  Robert Harley appointed Edward Harley as Auditor of the Imprest, a lucrative appointment providing enough money to build the original Eywood<\/div>\n
manor house.   Later in the 18th century the house was altered.  (see work of Robert Kingsley)<\/div>\n

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2)  1735 Edward Harley succeeded by his son Edward Harley (1699-1735) becoming the 3rd Earl of Oxford in 1741.  Inherrited the principal estates of Brampton Brian (ancient seat of the Harleys) while Eywood<\/div>\n
was the secondary estate of the Harleys.<\/div>\n

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3) Either the second or third Earl of Oxford both named Edward Harley, landscaped Eywood.   In 1756 Bishop Pococke wrote \u2018Lord Oxford has a large house and a fine lawn, with a beautiful piece of water<\/div>\n
and great woods on the hill over it\u201d.  This comment was used often in later descriptions<\/div>\n

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4) Edward Harley (1726 – 1790, 4th Earl of Oxford,in 1775 brought CAPABILITY BROWN to Eywood.  His landscaping suggestions are unknown but by 1795 three pools were established of which two remain.<\/div>\n
Woodland features were also established\u2026.grand parkland trees some of which may still stand.<\/div>\n

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5) Edward Harley (1773 – 1848) , the 5th Earl of Oxford married Jane Scott in 1794. Her father was a Christian mininster from Hampshire.<\/div>\n
She became the Countess of Oxford.  She is noteworthy due to her scandalous relationship with Lord Byron in October 1812.  Scandalous behaviour<\/div>\n
with other men led to her gossiped title as mother of the \u201cHarleian Miscellany\u201d of 8 children with different fathers.<\/div>\n

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6) Robert Smirke was hired from 1805 to 1807 to enlarge and modernize Eywood Court.  He added three storey wings on each side of the original<\/div>\n
square block mansion. The new wings were set back somewhat from he original house allowing the older house to dominate.  A new entrance was<\/div>\n
made in the North East wing.  Inside Smirke created a new dining room with column on one end, a new dining room, A new \u2018pleasure park\u2019<\/div>\n
was laid out around the house.<\/div>\n

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7) 1848, both Eywood and Brampton Bryan were inherited by Alfred Harley (1809 – 1853), 6th and last Earl of Oxford.<\/div>\n

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8) 1877, Brampton Bryan estate passed to his widow <\/div>\n

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9) Eywood passed to his elder daughter, Lady Langdale who died in 1872<\/div>\n

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10) Dispute over the estate of Eywood\u2026. finally went to her sister, Lady Charlotte Bacon,<\/div>\n
the widow of General Anthony Bacon who was described as \u2019the finest<\/div>\n
cavalry officer in the army\u2019 while also being imprisoned for two years for debt.<\/div>\n
He also attempted to found a colony in south Australia.  He led a varied life, must<\/div>\n
have been away from Eywood for long periods as he worked for Don Pedro, King<\/div>\n
of Portugal and Emperor of Brazil.<\/div>\n

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IN 1877 Lady Charlotte Bacon was living in Australia with her children but<\/div>\n
came home to live at Eywood and died in 1880.<\/div>\n

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10)  1880 Eywood sold to Arthur Walsh (1827 – 1920) , 2nd Baron Ormathwaite<\/div>\n

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11) 1892  Eywood sold to Charles James Paul Gwyer (1854 – 1940) and his<\/div>\n
wife Mary (1862 – 1950)<\/div>\n

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Eywood was not in good condition by then as it had been empty for long periods<\/div>\n
while the Bacon family were in Australia.  Charles Gwyer remodelled the house by<\/div>\n
removing the third floors on the wings, removing the giant \u2018order\u2019 and <\/div>\n
‘russtification\u2019 (whatever the means)  , a large new porch with \u2018eclectic\u2019detailing  was built on the east side\u2026the<\/div>\n
only part of the building to survive today (*I am unsure just what is being described here<\/div>\n
as all that remains today is the stone columned entranceway.<\/div>\n

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12) 1954 Eywood was sold again, by this time in poor condition.  Bought by<\/div>\n
Mr. Vowells of Birminghsm who sod off the firms and demolished the house<\/div>\n
after trying to sell it as a private school or convalescent home.<\/div>\n

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What condition?  One comment says Eywood Court was in  poor condition<\/div>\n
in the Australian owner\u2019s time (Bacon family)  but comment in the Gwyer owners time says<\/div>\n
good condition.<\/div>\n

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War played a big role in the demise of Eywood  both World War I and World War dashed any<\/div>\n
hope of Eywood surviving the wrecking Ball.  Two very personal reasons. The Gwyers were military people.<\/div>\n

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On August 27, 1918 Lieutenant Cyril Gwyer was killed in World War I.  He was only 27 years old and would have been<\/div>\n
the master of Eywood.  He is buried at Mory Abbey Military cemetery  beneath the inscription THEY SHALL BE MINE SAITH THE LORD OF HOSTS<\/span><\/div>\n

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But he had a son Geoffrey Gwyer who seemed destined to take control of Eywood.  And would have done so were it not for World War II. Captain G.C.F. Gwyer died in Tunisia and<\/div>\n
is buried there beneath the inscription IN LOVING MEMORY OF\/ GEOFFREY CHARLES FRANCIS GWYER\/ CAPTAIN GRENADIER GUARDS\/ SON OF THE ABOVE\/ KILLED IN ACTION 19TH MARCH 1943, SERVING WITH\/ THE EIGHTH ARMY IN TUNISIA. AGED 27 YEARS\/ “DUTY WAS THE STAR THAT LED HIM<\/span>\u201d<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n

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His mother Mary died in 1950.  Her time at  Eywood must have been very sad.   Both husband and son dead.  Many of the country estates lost sons in the two world wars which one reason so many of the<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n
country estates in Britain were lost.  There were many other reasons however.   Somewhere there must be a record of those sad years between her death in 1950 and the sale of Eywood in 1954..<\/font><\/div>\n

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    Picture of Eywood Court circa1900\u2026taken with Edward Freeman\u2019s pin hole camera.   The high walled stables appear in the background.<\/span><\/font><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\n
    WHAT SURVIVED?<\/div>\n
     -A few \u2019stumps\u2019 of brick walls<\/div>\n
    -The porch<\/div>\n
    -The stables<\/div>\n
    -other farm buildings<\/div>\n
    -the dovecote<\/div>\n
    -the gardens<\/div>\n
    -the gardeners cottage<\/div>\n
    -the bothy (a wreck)<\/div>\n
    -the landscaping <\/div>\n
    -the lake<\/div>\n
    -some ancient parkland trees<\/div>\n
    -the two large farms and their buildings<\/div>\n
    -the gatekeepers house<\/div>\n
    -St. Peter\u2019s church, Titley village <\/div>\n
    -the exotic fruit trees <\/div>\n
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    Detailed gravestone in St. Peter\u2019s cemetery documenting the years when the Harley\u2019s owned Eywood.<\/div>\n

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    Document included in the 1954 auction booklet for Eywood.  Rather odd that Lord Byron\u2019s<\/div>\n
    sexual exploits with Countess Oxford would be part of the sales pitch.<\/div>\n

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    The village of Titley and the Eywood estate are in centre of these villages<\/div>\n

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    Interior of the dovecote at Eywood.  One source of meat in the early 19th century was young pigeons whose nesting<\/div>\n
    was encouraged on large estates.  The Eywood dovecote is intact but no pigeons.<\/div>\n

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    This picture was taken by Edward Freeman about 1905.   The apprentice gardeners lived in this \u2018bothy\u2019 which was built into<\/div>\n
    the north wall of Eywood gardens.  Not much of a place to live although the cattle seem to like it.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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    Eywood Gardens where Edward Freeman worked as Head Gardener of Eywood circa 1900 (Picture taken 1960 or 1965)<\/div>\n
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    Sr. Peter\u2019s Church, Titley Village.  <\/div>\n

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    Gatekeepers house Eywood<\/div>\n

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    Eywood Park with ancient trees planted after the year that<\/div>\n
    Capability Brown visited Eywood and may have made suggestions.<\/div>\n

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    Much of Eywood remains forested<\/div>\n

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    WHILE MEMORY SERVES<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    EPISODE  505   WHY WAS EYWOOD DEMOLISHED IN 1954? (AND history of Eywood\u2019s owners) alan skeoch Jan. 5, 2022 This is (was) Cyril Griffiths to whom I owe so much.  He was once the tenant farmer of Oatcroft which was sold from under him even though he had tenant farmers rights.  Or so I believe. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-19602","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19602","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=19602"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/19602\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=19602"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=19602"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/alanskeoch.ca\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=19602"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}