Although records show that there has been a house on the present site for
nearly 1000 years the property and park in any recognisable form date from
the early 18th century. Lord Admiral Russel had sought permission from King
William II to create the Park in in 1702. When he died in 1727 the estate
passed through various hands before being bought by John Tharp in 1791, the
first direct ancestor of the present owners. In his lifetime the lake was
created, over 2 million trees were planted and the estate grew to 7000
acres.
In the late 18th century the house was substantially extended to accommodate
many guests, this was a time of great country house parties which frequently
included the Prince of Wales who enjoyed the shooting and the racing at
Newmarket.
The estate later passed down the female side of the family to Basil Bacon in
1949 and in 1985 to the present owners.
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