Tag Archives: Sir James Esdaile
Big houses and farms around Corbets Tey
The two previous items about Corbets Tey have looked at the village and the area around Hacton. This third piece looks at four large houses and farms around the village centre, three of which still survive, and shines a light … Continue reading
The Bell Inn
The Bell Inn dominated the crossroads at the centre of Upminster for around 200 years until its demolition in the summer of 1963, to be replaced by a featureless parade of shops with an ugly car park above. These days … Continue reading
A walk down Corbets Tey Road
Earlier articles have looked at the history of the area of Upminster south of St Mary’s Lane, including New Place, High House, Hoppy Hall and Gaynes Park. This piece takes a look at the history of the other properties which … Continue reading
The sorry legacy of Hoppy Hall
A Royal Mail sorting office, a BP Petrol Station and a car park bearing the name of Hoppy Hall are a sorry legacy for the site of one of Upminster’s oldest houses, whose grounds were graced by one of the … Continue reading
Who was Sir James Esdaile?
Those familiar with Upminster’s history will know that Sir James Esdaile (c.1714 to 1793) was a major land-owner who was responsible for rebuilding many of Upminster’s largest residences and buildings including Gaynes, New Place, Harwood Hall and the Bell Inn. … Continue reading
Gaynes Park – perhaps Upminster’s least loved manor house
In contrast to Upminster Hall, which continues to be part of Upminster’s heritage and which was owned for over 200 years by the same family, the Branfills, the Gaynes Park estate and its manor house survive now only in name … Continue reading
New Place – lost jewel in Upminster’s crown
How strange that one of Upminster’s finest houses, Sir James Esdaile’s New Place built around 1775, fell into poor repair and was demolished in 1924, while the adjacent stable block survives to this day? And that after New Place was … Continue reading
Old Upminster 