Spye Park
Encyclopedia
Spye Park is a 90.3 hectare
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire
, notified in 1951. The historic house which stood there, near the great Roman road from London to Bath, had been twice destroyed by fire, most recently in 1974. The new owner, as of 2005, was planning to rebuild a Palladian house.
Spye Park is about two miles (3 km) to the north of Bromham village in Wiltshire.
Steward and had built Bromham Hall in 1538. The diarist John Evelyn claims that the house was built in 1654; however, Sir Edward may have substantially built upon a previously existing structure, based on eyewitness evidence after the 1868 fire.
His grandson Sir Edward Bayntun (1593–1657) built Spye Park House after the destruction of Bromham House in 1645 during the civil war. He was married to Stuarta, the daughter of Sir Thomas Thynne, whose brother resided at Longleat. The house passed out of the Bayntun family when the heiress Ann Bayntun married Edward Rolt (d. 1722), of Sacombe Park, MP for Chippenham
. Ann's second son Edward Rolt, later Edward Bayntun-Rolt (d. 1800), inherited the property, and was made a baronet in 1762 (see Bayntun-Rolt Baronets
). He had six illegitimate children with his mistress, Mary Poynter, whom he later married secretly in 1751. Their fourth and youngest but only legitimate son Sir Andrew Bayntun-Rolt, 2nd Baronet (1755–1816), was born after the marriage and thus his father's only legitimate child and heir after the marriage laws reforms of 1753. He married in 1777 Lady Maria Coventry, and separated from her for an affair with his nephew in 1783; they divorced in 1787.
Their only child was Maria Barbara Bayntun (b. ca 1780). She became her father's and grandfather's sole legitimate heiress as declared in the entail of 1788.
. She in turn eloped in 1797 aged 17, and married a mere reverend; however, she inherited her father's estate in 1816. Her son John Edward Andrew Bayntun Starky (1799–1843) inherited the estate, which was sold in 1864 to pay the debts of his son John Bayntun Starky (1834–1872) - while his grandmother, the second heiress, was still alive.
In 1855, the house was bought by Major J.W.G. Spicer, and owned by four more generations. The 17th century house was demolished by Spicer, and rebuilt 1864-1868 in red brick. This house, considered an eyesore by Spicer's neighbours, was destroyed by fire in 1868. The house was rebuilt from 1868 to 1871, this time in the Tudor style. By 1939, the estate consisted of 500 acres (2 km²).
In the 1930s, the owner was Captain Frank Fitzroy Spicer, MC, DSO (d. 1973), who married 1931 (as her second husband) Lady Avice Sackville-West (b. 1897), younger daughter of the 8th Earl De La Warr
. Lady Avice was the former wife of the future MI5 head Stewart Menzies
(d. 1968) and left him for Spicer. Despite this, Spicer and his wife were close friends of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who visited the Spye Park estate regularly in the Fifties.
The second house built by Major Spicer, the first of five generations of Spicers, was destroyed by fire in 1974. Today, no trace of the great Spye Park mansion exists. Even the foundations have been covered over with grass. According to a local history website,
The estate was sold by Simon and Rosamund Spicer, the fifth generation of the family to live on the estate to the Enthoven Family of South Africa (Nandos Chicken owners and ) for 8 million pounds in 2005.
Agnes Ryce (d. 1574), formerly the mistress of a nobleman Lord Stourton
(d. 1548). Their descendants inherited the house and estate until 1864 when both passed out of the family. Sir Edward was a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire County in 1562-1563 and again in 1570; M.P. for Devizes in 1571; M.P. for Calne in 1572 and M.P. for Chippenham Borough in 1588-1589 and High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1570.
At his death, the Bayntun male line failed. His sister Ann inherited, but by terms of an entail in 1716 and custom, her second son Edward inherited from his uncle.
Hectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
biological Site of Special Scientific Interest in Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
, notified in 1951. The historic house which stood there, near the great Roman road from London to Bath, had been twice destroyed by fire, most recently in 1974. The new owner, as of 2005, was planning to rebuild a Palladian house.
Spye Park is about two miles (3 km) to the north of Bromham village in Wiltshire.
History of Spye Park House
The house was first known to be owned in the 16th century by Edward Bayntun (1517–1593) of Rowdon; he had previously been Battle AbbeyBattle Abbey
Battle Abbey is a partially ruined abbey complex in the small town of Battle in East Sussex, England. The abbey was built on the scene of the Battle of Hastings and dedicated to St...
Steward and had built Bromham Hall in 1538. The diarist John Evelyn claims that the house was built in 1654; however, Sir Edward may have substantially built upon a previously existing structure, based on eyewitness evidence after the 1868 fire.
His grandson Sir Edward Bayntun (1593–1657) built Spye Park House after the destruction of Bromham House in 1645 during the civil war. He was married to Stuarta, the daughter of Sir Thomas Thynne, whose brother resided at Longleat. The house passed out of the Bayntun family when the heiress Ann Bayntun married Edward Rolt (d. 1722), of Sacombe Park, MP for Chippenham
Chippenham (UK Parliament constituency)
Chippenham is a parliamentary constituency, abolished in 1983 but recreated in 2010, and represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
. Ann's second son Edward Rolt, later Edward Bayntun-Rolt (d. 1800), inherited the property, and was made a baronet in 1762 (see Bayntun-Rolt Baronets
Bayntun-Rolt Baronets
The Bayntun-Rolt Baronetcy, of Spye Park in the County of Wiltshire, was a title in the Baronetage of Great Britain. It was created on 7 July 1762 for Edward Bayntun-Rolt, for many years Member of Parliament for Chippenham. He was born Edward Rolt, the grandson of Sir Thomas Rolt and Anne Bayntun,...
). He had six illegitimate children with his mistress, Mary Poynter, whom he later married secretly in 1751. Their fourth and youngest but only legitimate son Sir Andrew Bayntun-Rolt, 2nd Baronet (1755–1816), was born after the marriage and thus his father's only legitimate child and heir after the marriage laws reforms of 1753. He married in 1777 Lady Maria Coventry, and separated from her for an affair with his nephew in 1783; they divorced in 1787.
. She in turn eloped in 1797 aged 17, and married a mere reverend; however, she inherited her father's estate in 1816. Her son John Edward Andrew Bayntun Starky (1799–1843) inherited the estate, which was sold in 1864 to pay the debts of his son John Bayntun Starky (1834–1872) - while his grandmother, the second heiress, was still alive.
In 1855, the house was bought by Major J.W.G. Spicer, and owned by four more generations. The 17th century house was demolished by Spicer, and rebuilt 1864-1868 in red brick. This house, considered an eyesore by Spicer's neighbours, was destroyed by fire in 1868. The house was rebuilt from 1868 to 1871, this time in the Tudor style. By 1939, the estate consisted of 500 acres (2 km²).
In the 1930s, the owner was Captain Frank Fitzroy Spicer, MC, DSO (d. 1973), who married 1931 (as her second husband) Lady Avice Sackville-West (b. 1897), younger daughter of the 8th Earl De La Warr
Earl De La Warr
Earl De La Warr is a title created in the Peerage of Great Britain in 1761.In the United States, Thomas West, 3rd baron is often named in history books simply as Lord Delaware. He served as governor of the Jamestown Colony, and the Delaware Bay was named after him...
. Lady Avice was the former wife of the future MI5 head Stewart Menzies
Stewart Menzies
Major General Sir Stewart Graham Menzies, KCB, KCMG, DSO, MC was Chief of MI6 , British Secret Intelligence Service, during and after World War II.-Early life, family:...
(d. 1968) and left him for Spicer. Despite this, Spicer and his wife were close friends of Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother who visited the Spye Park estate regularly in the Fifties.
the Spicers decided to tear down the ruin as it was riddled with dry rot, which was worsened by the drenching which the house received from the firemen's hoses.
The estate was sold by Simon and Rosamund Spicer, the fifth generation of the family to live on the estate to the Enthoven Family of South Africa (Nandos Chicken owners and ) for 8 million pounds in 2005.
Bayntun family
The house was owned by Bayntuns since the 15th century. Sir Edward Bayntun (1517–1597) built the new house circa 1654, and married a Howard relativeDuke of Norfolk
The Duke of Norfolk is the premier duke in the peerage of England, and also, as Earl of Arundel, the premier earl. The Duke of Norfolk is, moreover, the Earl Marshal and hereditary Marshal of England. The seat of the Duke of Norfolk is Arundel Castle in Sussex, although the title refers to the...
Agnes Ryce (d. 1574), formerly the mistress of a nobleman Lord Stourton
William Stourton, 7th Baron Stourton
William Stourton, 7th Baron Stourton was the son of Edward Stourton.He succeeded his father in 1535, and upon his death was succeeded by his son Charles.-References:...
(d. 1548). Their descendants inherited the house and estate until 1864 when both passed out of the family. Sir Edward was a Member of Parliament for Wiltshire County in 1562-1563 and again in 1570; M.P. for Devizes in 1571; M.P. for Calne in 1572 and M.P. for Chippenham Borough in 1588-1589 and High Sheriff of Wiltshire in 1570.
- 1654-1679: Sir Edward Bayntun (1618–1679), KBOrder of the BathThe Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, SheriffSheriffA sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
of Wiltshire in 1664. He married aged 43 the 18-year-old Stuarta Thynne (d. 1680), daughter of Sir Thomas Thynne, and sister of the Tom Thynne murdered at the connivance of Carl Johan Konigsmarck. They were estranged by 1670. - 1679-1691: Henry Bayntun (1664–1691) married 1685 Lady Anne Wilmot (d. 1703 as Lady Anne Greville), daughter of the late Earl of Rochester (d. 1680 aged 33), famous Restoration poet-libertine.
- 1691-1716: John Bayntun (1688–1716), who died issueless.
At his death, the Bayntun male line failed. His sister Ann inherited, but by terms of an entail in 1716 and custom, her second son Edward inherited from his uncle.
Bayntun-Rolt baronets (1726-1816)
- 1716-1800: Sir Edward Bayntun-Rolt, 1st Bt. (d. 1800), created a baronet 1762, inherited from his uncle John Bayntun
- 1800-1816: Sir Andrew Bayntun-Rolt, 2nd Bt. (1755–1816); died without legitimate sons. His eldest daughter inherited the estate.
Bayntun-Starkey family (1816-1864)
Estate inherited by Maria Barbara Bayntun Starkey (1780–1870), apparently passed by entail or other provision to her son.- 1816-1841: John Bayntun Starkey (d. 1841).
- 1841-1864: John Andrew Bayntun Starkey; sold the house in 1855 and the estate in 1864, per various sources.
Spicer family (1864-2005)
- 1855/1864-?: Major J.W.G. Spicer
- in 1888: Captain John Spicer
- in 1930s and 1950s: Captain Frank Fitzroy Spicer MC DSO (d. 1973)
- in 1974: presumably Simon Spicer, fifth-generation owner who sold the park in 2005.
- 2005–present: Enthoven Family (owners of Capricorn Ventures International) (CVI) and the Nandos Chicken Franchise as well as the Hollard Group one of the largest insurance companies in South Africa.
Enthoven Family (2005-present)
- Enthoven Family (owners of Capricorn Ventures International) (CVI) and the Nandos Chicken Franchise as well as the Hollard Group one of the largest insurance companies in South Africa.
Sources
- English Nature citation sheet for the site (accessed 11 August 2006)
External links
- English Nature website (SSSI information)
- Spye Park Cricket Club