His other buildings included New Place, Londons, Harwood Hall, Gaynes Lodge, and the Bell Inn. The grandest was Great Gaynes, a mansion that became the manor house. It appears that the Esdailes then divided their time between their house in Bunhill Row and their new country estate in Upminster.įrom the 1760s onwards Esdaile spent considerable sums building, or rebuilding, many of Upminster's largest residences. Less than a year later James' father Peter died, with James the principal beneficiary of his substantial estate. In 1757, however, Mary inherited New Place and other estates when her guardian aunt, Sarah Mayor, died. They lived in Bunhill Row, London, from where James and his father ran their profitable business. Mary was an heiress with the rights to New Place, Upminster. His first links to Upminster were in 1748 when, as a 34-year old widower with 3 young children, he married the 17-year old Mary Mayor (1731-1792). Sir James Esdaile (1714-1793) was the son of a wealthy London girdler.

Alice lived at Gaynes and was buried at St. She was widely despised for the great influence she had at the ageing monarch's court from about 1369-1376. Alice was the young mistress of Edward 111 in his dotage.

Gaynes remained with the de Havering family until around 1378 when it was acquired by Alice Perrers (1348-1400). Leases to the estate were then granted to Simon de Havering for 10 years. John and Henry Engayne inherited the estate from their father Viel and in 1297 John Engayne (later Lord Engayne) inherited in turn from his father of the same name.The manor remained in the family until the death of the last male, Sir Thomas Engayne, in 1367. As co-heir of William de Courtenay, de Cantilupe had livery of the Manor of Upminster in 1218. (He was the son and heir of William de Courtenay and together they joined the Barons against John and their lands were seized and granted to William de Cantilupe, but restored in 1217. An alternative name for Gaynes Manor was Engaynes (possibly a French influence from Norman times), which derives from Vitalis (Viel) D’Engayne who owned the estate from 1218.

Space by William Latham