Daisy, the Countess of Warwick & her Gardens

Introduction

“Daisy” the Countess of Warwick & her Gardens, a History of Easton Lodge.

Nestled in the wide open agricultural fields of Essex is a truly remarkable garden.

In 1902 the Countess commissioned Harold Peto to redesign the Gardens for her. His designs drew on his extensive travel, including trips to Italy and Japan.

Speaker

Gary Matthews

The talk covers the transformation of Easton Lodge from a small hunting lodge to a grand Victorian Gothic mansion, its heyday during the Edwardian period, and the subsequent decline and restoration of its gardens.

Gary Matthews

Date & Time of Meeting

Wednesday  26th March 2025

7.45 pm

Cost:

Free to Members. Visitors £2.00

Further Information

In 1348, a year before the first outbreak of the plague in Essex, Lady Eleanor de Louvain inherited the estate from her father, the feudal baron of Little Easton. Lady Eleanor married Sir William Bourchier in 1365, uniting two wealthy and influential families.

In 1847 almost the whole of the Elizabethan part of the mansion was destroyed by fire. The Jacobean West Wing remained and the rest was rebuilt in Victorian Gothic style.

In 1865 Frances ‘Daisy’ Maynard, then aged 3, inherited Easton Lodge and its estate, following the death of her grandfather and father in quick succession. Disraeli encouraged Queen Victoria to support marriage between Daisy and Prince Leopold, her youngest son. But Daisy chose to marry one of the Prince’s closest friends, Lord Brooke, heir to the Warwick title and estate.