History & Restoration
Early History
The Gardens, grounds and whole estate of Easton Lodge
date back to Tudor times. It is believed that, in 1590, Elizabeth I granted the 10,000 acre Manor of Estaines to Henry Maynard as a reward for his duties as Private Secretary to… click here for more details
The ‘Daisy’ Years 1865-1938
In 1865, following the deaths of both her father and grandfather in quick succession, Frances ‘Daisy’ Maynard inherited the estate of Easton Lodge. She was just three years old. She grew up to be a noted beauty of considerable wealth and was courted by many suitors. Even Disraeli encouraged a union between Daisy and Prince Leopold, the youngest son of Queen Victoria but… click here for more details
Harold Peto’s Role
In 1902, the Gardens underwent their most radical change yet when the Countess commissioned Harold Peto to redesign them. The son of Sir Morton Peto, the engineer and railway magnate, he grew up at Somerleyton Hall on the Suffolk coast, surrounded by splendid gardens …click here for more details
Early 20th Century Easton Lodge
Early in the 20th century, guests at Easton Lodge included George Bernard Shaw, Gustav Holst, Ramsay McDonald and HG Wells, whose family lived in one of the estate properties. He, in turn, received visits from such notables as …click here for more details
After Daisy 1939-1950
After Daisy’s death in 1938, the estate was inherited by her son Maynard Greville who lived nearby in Little Canfield. He did not share his mother’s beliefs in Socialism or her interest in the formal Gardens and they began to succumb to nature. However, in 1939, the War Office requisitioned Easton Lodge….click here for more details
New Visions 1950 to date
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….click here for more details