1950 - 1971

Maynard Greville, himself a noted arboriculturalist, decided to create an arboretum in the Gardens, fully intending to extend this over much of the Italian and Japanese Gardens, although in the end they actually disappeared under brambles and saplings. He demolished the Victorian mansion and planted silver birch on the foundations. He handed over the lakes to the then newly-formed Dunmow Fishing Club which has continued to use and maintain that part of the Estate (separately from the Gardens). Maynard Greville died in 1960, leaving the Estate to his daughter, Felice Spurrier. In the 1960’s, Mrs Spurrier sold the remaining buildings on the estate to Charlie Wearn, a local man dealing in architectural salvage, who took ownership despite the fact that Maynard Greville had already overseen the removal of much of the formal gardens and the sale of the statuary, Ham & York stone paving, urns, etc. Mr Wearn did attempt a restoration project on the remaining buildings but it was never completed.