Baynards Park facts for kids
Baynards Park is a large estate in Surrey, England. It covers about 2,000 acres (around 800 hectares). This area used to have a big country house, but it was taken down. Today, some of the old buildings and beautiful gardens still remain. It is privately owned and located in the south of Cranleigh and Ewhurst parishes.
Contents
The Story of Baynards Park
Early Days and Royal Visits
The history of Baynards Park goes back a long time. In 1447, a man named William Sydney got permission to enclose 800 acres (about 320 hectares) for his 'manor' of Baynards. A manor was like a large estate with a main house. Later, the land passed through different families, including the Bray family.
During the time of the early Tudor kings, the manor was sometimes used for hunting parties. Even King Henry VIII himself visited Baynards Park for hunting! This was because the area was part of the Weald, a huge woodland at the time.
New Owners and a Grand House
Over the years, the estate changed hands many times. In 1587, Sir George More took ownership. He built a grand new manor house in the Elizabethan style. This was a popular building style in England during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I.
The house continued to be passed down through families. For a while, it even became a farmhouse. This happened when Arthur Onslow, a famous Speaker of the House of Commons, owned it. He lived at another house nearby.
A Big Makeover
In 1818, Lord Onslow sold parts of the estate. But in 1832, a man named Rev. Thomas Thurlow bought Baynards and reunited it with a nearby estate called Pollingfold. He decided to give the house a huge makeover!
Rev. Thurlow made the house much bigger and changed its look. He worked with famous architects like Matthew Digby Wyatt, Thomas Rickman, and Benjamin Ferrey. They transformed the house into a majestic Georgian style building. He also filled it with a wonderful collection of paintings, armor, furniture, and tapestries.
The Railway Arrives
In the 1860s, the LBSCR company planned to build a railway line called the Cranleigh Line. This railway would cross parts of the Baynards estate. The owner at the time, Lord Thurlow, agreed to let the railway cross his land. But he had one condition: a train station had to be built to serve his estate!
So, Baynards railway station opened on October 2, 1865. It was quite a big station for a place with no nearby town. It had a stationmaster's house, waiting rooms, and even served as the local Post Office. On market days, you could see many horses and carts outside. The railway line was 19.25 miles (about 31 kilometers) long. Sadly, it closed on June 14, 1965, just before its 100th birthday.
What Happened to the Main House?
In 1952, the estate was sold again. Later, in 1965, a helicopter businessman named Alan Bristow bought the house. The main house was very old and had been empty for 11 years. It was even being used to store hay!
In 1979, the house tragically burned down. After the fire, only some parts of the estate remained. These include the walled gardens, small cottages, a bell-tower, a gatehouse, and four lodges. Many of these buildings were a bit neglected.
After Alan Bristow passed away in 2009, a company bought the estate. They wanted to build new homes, but they were not allowed. So, they sold it to a company that plans to build a retirement community. They intend to rebuild a new manor house on the old foundations. One of the old gatehouses, Longhurst Lodge, was bought privately in 2009 and has been beautifully restored.
