Esher Place facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Esher Place |
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Esher Place today, from the west showing the rear of the house
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| Location | Esher |
| OS grid reference | TQ1337264910 |
| Area | Surrey |
| Built | 1890s |
| Owner | Unite |
| Designated | 7 February 1975 |
| Reference no. | 1377431 |
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Esher Place is an old country house in Esher, Surrey, United Kingdom. Since 1953, it has been used as a college by Unite, a big group for workers (a trade union). The building you see today was mostly built in the 1890s. But it's actually the fourth house to stand on this spot! It even has small parts from older buildings.
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The Long History of Esher Place
Esher Place has a very long and interesting history, with many different owners and changes over the centuries.
Early Days and Bishops' Homes
The first house here was built in the early 1200s. It belonged to the Bishop of Winchester, Peter des Roches. Later, in the late 1400s, another Bishop of Winchester, William Waynflete, tore down that house. He built a much bigger brick home with a tall, thin tower. This tower, called Waynflete's Tower, is still standing!
Famous Owners and Royal Connections
A famous person named Cardinal Wolsey lived here. He was a very powerful advisor to Henry VIII. After he lost his power, he was kept at Esher Place under house arrest. King Henry VIII then took over the estate.
Later, Queen Mary I gave it back to the Bishop of Winchester. But Elizabeth I bought it back for the Crown. She then gave it to her Lord High Admiral, Lord Howard of Effingham. He then gave it to Richard Drake, who was a cousin of the famous explorer Sir Francis Drake.
Spanish Admirals and New Owners
After England defeated the Spanish Armada, three captured Spanish admirals were held at Esher Place for over five years! The Drake family owned the house until 1634. For the next 75 years, many different people owned Esher Place. These included Sir Thomas Lynch, an early English governor of Jamaica, and John Latton, who held several important jobs under King William III.
Changes by the Duke of Newcastle
In 1716, the large farming land around Esher Place was sold off. The house itself was bought by Henry Pelham in 1729. He was the younger brother of the Duke of Newcastle. Pelham hired a famous designer named William Kent to change the house.
Kent knocked down most of the old medieval and Tudor parts of the house, but he kept the gatehouse (Waynflete's Tower). He added new sections and some of the first Gothic revival decorations in England. This style brought back ideas from medieval buildings.
The Scottish poet James Thomson even wrote about Esher Place in his poem The Seasons. He praised "Esher's peaceful grove" where Pelham could find peace away from city life.
Building a New House and Modern Use
In 1805, a London merchant named John Spicer bought Esher Place. He pulled down the house that Kent had designed. Spicer used the materials to build a new house on a higher spot. This new house was designed by Edward Lapidge.
In the late 1890s, this house became part of the current building. The new house was designed in a French Renaissance style by G.T. Robinson and Achille Duchêne. This was for Edgar Vincent, who later became Lord D'Abernon. He bought the estate in 1895.
Lord D'Abernon had many famous guests at Esher Place, including Edward VIII (when he was the Prince of Wales), Cecil Rhodes, and the famous dancer Anna Pavlova.
In 1930, Lord D'Abernon gave the house to the Shaftesbury Society, a charity. Most of the land was sold to builders who created a housing estate around the mansion. Esher Place became a home for young children from 1930 to 1952.
In 1952, the house was sold to the Electrical Trades Union. This union later joined with others to become Unite the Union. In 1953, they opened Esher Place as the college it is today.
Waynflete's Tower: A Historic Gatehouse
Waynflete's Tower is a very old gatehouse that was built at the same time as the late 1400s house. It is a Grade I listed building, which means it's very important historically.
William Kent changed the tower a lot after Henry Pelham bought the property. Kent added two three-story sections on each side and a one-story porch between the towers. The entrance hall inside was originally the gateway. Kent covered it with plaster. Today, Waynflete's Tower is a private home.
Waynflete's Tower was also featured in a 2006 episode of the TV show Time Team, which explores archaeological sites.
