Easton, Suffolk facts for kids
Easton is a small village in England, located near the River Deben. It's about three miles south of Framlingham. Long ago, Easton was known as an estate village. This means it was part of a large property called Easton Park, which was the home of a very important noble family, the Duke of Hamilton. In 2011, about 331 people lived in Easton.
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A Royal History: The Dukes of Hamilton
Easton Park was once the grand home of the Duke of Hamilton, a very important noble title in Britain.
Who Inherited Easton Park?
When William Douglas-Hamilton, 12th Duke of Hamilton, passed away in 1895, he didn't have any sons to inherit his title. So, the title of Duke went to his fourth cousin, who became Alfred Douglas-Hamilton, 13th Duke of Hamilton.
Even though the Duke's main title and some lands went to his cousin, a big part of the Hamilton family's properties, including Easton Park, was given to Lady Mary. She was the only child of the 12th Duke and his wife.
Easton Park After World War I
After World War I, the British government needed a lot of money to pay for the war. They introduced very high taxes for wealthy people.
Why Was Easton Park Sold?
Easton Park had also been used as a Red Cross Hospital during the war. This meant it needed a lot of repairs. Lady Mary, who was now the Duchess of Montrose, and her husband, James Graham, 6th Duke of Montrose, decided it was too expensive to keep the estate. They chose to sell it.
The Big Sale of 1919
In 1919, the land was divided into 137 smaller pieces and sold at an auction. This sale got a lot of attention and raised £58,000. That would be about £4.6 million today!
However, Easton Park itself, often called 'the Mansion', and its 150 acres of parkland didn't sell at the auction. It was later sold privately for £11,278 (about £900,000 today). The parkland around the Mansion was then transferred to another nearby property called Martley Hall.
With very little land left, the Mansion's future was clear. In December 1924, it began to be taken down. Some parts of the old Mansion were saved and used in Martley Hall and other homes in the area.
Easton's Famous Hounds
Easton is still home to a special group of hunting dogs called hounds. These hounds were first started by the 12th Duke of Hamilton in the 1800s.
The Hamilton Hounds
The Duke paid for and looked after a pack of harrier hounds all by himself. Local landowners and farmers were very happy about this.
After the Duke passed away in 1895, a committee asked his wife, the Dowager Duchess (the Duke's widow), if they could name the hounds the 'Hamilton Hounds' in his memory. She agreed!
Over time, as Easton Park was no longer connected to the Hamilton family, the link between the family and the hunt became weaker. Today, the hunt is known as the Easton Harriers. It's still an important part of the village and is known for good sport in the local area.
Easton Farm Park
Easton is also home to Easton Farm Park. This is a fun farming museum where you can see different rare farm animals. It also shows what life was like in the countryside and how farming used to be done.
