Parklands Open Space

Parklands is on the site of Gaynes or Engaynes manor, which in 1086 was the largest of the three manors in Upminster, and initially known as the manor of Upminster. At the time of the Domesday Survey it covered c.1,600 acres including forest, and the catalogue of ownership over the ensuing years provide an interesting story. Prior to the Norman Conquest the manor was held by Swein the Swarthy and by 1086 it belonged to Walter of Douia, but it was Vitalis Engayne, who had possession in 1218, who gave the estate its name thenceforth. The existence of Gaynes School and Engayne Gardens some seven centuries later pays homage to the importance of this ancient manor. In 1346 Sir John of Havering acquired the manor, and it was later gifted by Edward III to Alice Perrers, who was in the service of Queen Philippa. Perrers became very powerful, which led Parliament to pass a law forbidding women from practising in the courts. Banished for a time, she returned after the death of Edward III and married Sir William Windsore, a supporter of Richard II, who was granted the lands Alice had previously held, including Upminster manor. After her death in 1400 it appeared that Edward III had granted Gaynes to Sir John Deyncourt as well as to Alice Perrers, and the manor was eventually settled on the former's family, with an annual settlement paid to Alice's daughter Joan. The Deyncourt family, followers of John of Gaunt, held the estate in the C15th, and by 1526 it was owned by a Nicholas Wayte. In 1543 Gaynes was sold along with 1,000 acres to Ralph Latham, a citizen and Goldsmith of London, who also purchased the estate of Upminster Hall (q.v.). Gaynes was mortgaged in 1641 by a later Ralph Latham, a Common Sergeant of London, and by 1650 it was in the hands of Joseph Grave, a brewer of London whose family held the estate until 1772 when it was sold to Amos White. In 1747/9 George Montgomery of St George's Hanover Square acquired the manor and after his death in 1766 his trustees conveyed Gaynes along with 100 acres to Sir James Esdaile, who already owned New Place (now the site of Clockhouse Gardens q.v.) and whose family already leased part of the Gaynes Estate.

At that point little more than a farmhouse, a new Gaynes manor house was built for Esdaile in c.1770 designed by the architect James Paine, at a cost of some £22,000. Paine also designed the surviving East Lodge on Corbets Tey Road and the bridge at the east end of the lake. In 1776 and 1779 Gaynes was advertised as ‘a complete residence for either Nobleman or Gentleman'. Sir James built a number of properties, including Harwood Hall (q.v.), Londons and Gaynes Lodge and other smaller houses, which led to the development of the southern part of Upminster to cater for servants and trades people serving the houses. Gaynes Park was laid out at the same time and Chapman and Andre's map shows the stream before it was dammed in 1789 to create a lake within a park of 100 acres. A plantation and meandering park closed the view to the west, and another plantation on the eastern boundary blocked the view of Corbets Tey and the newly built Harwood Hall. The improvements made to the grounds were described as being ‘with great taste' and in the park ‘beautiful clumps of trees were planted by Sir James, who likewise formed the lake, a handsome sheet of water, and planted the charming shrubbery walks at great cost'. In 1817 his grandson, also James Esdaile, began to sell off significant parts of the estate that his grandfather had increased to 750 acres; by 1820 540 acres had been sold and the estate broken up into smaller properties. New Place and Hunts Farm comprising 208 acres remained, together with the lordship. According to the Victorian County History of Essex ‘the Esdaile interest in Upminster was virtually ended in 1839 by a sale at which James Cuddon of Norwich bought the Lordship'. In 1852, Mrs Branfill, the Lady of Upminster Hall, declined the opportunity to purchase the manor after receiving advice that it was now valueless. In 1854 Leopald Leopald was Lord of the Manor, followed by Dr George Rowe in 1856 and Joseph Jackson, a cabinet warehouseman of Shoreditch and Tottenham in 1862. Jackson was succeeded by his brother and then his nephew John Atkinson (1899-1927).

In 1819 and 1820 attempts had been made to sell the house, but meeting with no success the central mansion and west wing were demolished and the remaining east wing and park sold. In 1845 the east wing was also removed and replaced with a Tudor style brick house in 1846 at a cost of £7,000. It was demolished after the sale of the estate in 1929. When the estate was broken up in 1820 parts of Gaynes Park together with Hoppy Hall Farm were bought by the Revd. John Clayton, his second son the Revd. George Clayton purchasing the remainder of the park. In 1844 George Clayton bought out all other interests in the park, giving his wife and later widow a life interest in the entire 105 acre park. She lived there with her second husband Henry Joslin but after her death in 1874 the park was sold to H A Gillat who attempted to establish a large-scale dairy farm. This attempt failed and in 1878 Gillat sold the estate back to Henry Joslin who added Hoppy Hall Farm to the estate in 1887 and Hunts Farm in 1890. Following his death in 1929 the estate was sold for building development.

Some ancient trees survived after the break-up of the estate amongst the new housing development, and are protected under Tree Preservation Orders. The lake and Parklands Bridge remain, together with a grass walk along the northern bank, the banks thickly wooded with larch, weeping willow and sedge, and ancient oaks and elms. On the southern side is rough pasture and school grounds.

When Parklands was acquired by Hornchurch Urban District Council the lake was completely silted up and overgrown with wild iris. As fishing was not one of the amenities provided by the Council, the Pleasure Grounds Committee authorised the cleaning of the lake in 1956/57. Parklands today is enjoyed by local people and a fishing club uses the lake.