Gaynes Park

There are two estates in Essex known as Gaynes Park, the Gaynes in Upminster, the seat of Henry Joslin, Esqre., and the Gaynes at Theydon Gernon.

Gaynes Park, the seat of William Swaine Chisenhale Marsh, Esqur., J.P., is situated in that most beautiful part of the county bordering on Epping Forest, and adjacent to several residences we have described in this volume, Hill Hall, “Sir William Bowyer-Smijth,” being in the adjoining parish of Theydon Mount, and Copped Hall, “E.J. Wythes, Equre.,” in that of Epping.

For centuries there has existed a mansion within the confines of Gaynes Park, which in remote ages was part of the great Forest of Essex, In the reign of Henry III, Robert Gernon obtained a license from the King to enclose his wood at Teydon, or Theyden, for a park, and although we find the estate chiefly alluded to in works, we have consulted as “Park Hall,” we think the name by which it is now known is the ancient form, and as one authority we quote an ancient deed, dated over 572 years ago, viz., “Grant by Walter de Colworthe, of Eppinghathe, to John Wacebake of Northwelde, of a piece of land in ‘le Frythe’ of Theydon Gernoun, abutting on Northwelde Park, and Geynes Park, etc., Eppinghathe, Monday before St Thomas the Apostle, 17 Edward II.”
The present house of Gaynes stands about a quarter of a mile higher up the park, and altogether in a much better position to that on which the old house stood, which Morant tells us was down in his day. It is a handsome building of stone in the Tudor style, and from its bold position commands extensive prospects of lovely woodland scenery, the plantations and growths of late years being in delightful contrast to the old forest trees that are to be seen here and there dotted about over the estate. In Domesday Book Theydon is called Taindena, and was held by Eudo Dapifer, and at the time of King Edward the Confessor was owned by Ulmar. Adam de Welles and his successors held the undivided manor of Theydene Gernon of Thomas Gernon, by service of 7s. per annum, and other lands and tenements. Adam died 1345. Leo de Welles, of this noble family, was killed fighting for the Lancastrian cause at the great battle of Towton, near Tadcaster, in Yorkshire, 1461. He was possessed of the manor of Park Hall, alias Gaynes Park, Hemmales, and Madles, in this parish, as parcels of Park Hall. Being found on the battlefield, a traitor in arms, his estates were confiscated, and King Edward bestowed them on his own daughter, Cecily, who was the wife of John, Lord Welles, son of the above Leo. She died without issue 1506.

The next owner of Gaynes was Sir William Fitz William, a City magnate. On his demise in the year 1534, he was succeeded by his son William, whose son, Sir William Fitz William, was four times Lord Deputy of Ireland, viz., in 1599-60-72-87, and three times one of the Lord Justices of that kingdom. When he died we have been unable to ascertain, but from this family Gaynes had passed early in the next century, for in 1617, Sir Richard Wingfield, Knt., held the manor, and in 1636 – Harrison, from whom it passed to the Earls of Anglesea, who sold the estate to William Coxhead Marsh, High Sheriff of Essex, 1847, from whom it has descended to his grandson, the present owner.