Orchard Wyndham

Orchard Wyndham
The entrance to Orchard Wyndham
Location within Somerset
General information
Town or city	Williton
Country	England
Coordinates	51°09′08″N 3°19′25″W / 51.1523°N 3.3237°W / 51.1523; -3.3237
Completed	Medieval

Orchard Wyndham near Williton, Somerset, England, is a former manor and historic manor house, parts of which date from medieval times.

Descent

Saxons

There is evidence of occupation of the site from Roman and Saxon times.^[1] The estate was originally called "Orchard", possibly a corruption of the Saxon family name "De Horcherd".

Sydenham

In 1448 it passed into the hands of the Sydenham family of nearby Coombe Sydenham, and was thenceforth known as Orchard Sydenham. Elizabeth Sydenham (d.1571) inherited the house and in 1528 married Sir John Wyndham (died c. 1580) of Felbrigg in Norfolk.^[1]

Wyndham

Arms of Wyndham: Azure, a chevron between three lion's heads erased or

The descent of Orchard Wyndham in the Wyndham family is as follows:^[2]

• Sir John Wyndham (died c. 1580), second son of Sir Thomas Wyndham (d.1521) by his first wife Eleanor Scrope, daughter and heiress of Richard Scrope of Upsall Castle, Yorkshire, inherited Orchard from his wife Elizabeth Sydenham (d.1/1/1571), daughter and co-heiress of Sir John Sydenham of Orchard, Somerset.^[3]
• Sir John Wyndham, son, who married Florence Wadham, whose brother Nicholas Wadham and his wife, founded Wadham College, Oxford.
• Sir John Wyndham (1558–1645), only son, who married Joan Portman, daughter of Sir Henry Portman (d.1590), of Orchard Portman, Somerset, son of Sir William Portman (d.1557), Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales.
• John Wyndham (d.1649), second and eldest surviving son, who married Catherine Hopton daughter of Robert Hopton of Witham, Somerset, and sister of Ralph Hopton, 1st Baron Hopton (d.1652).
• Sir William Wyndham, 1st Baronet (c.1632-1683), eldest son, of Orchard. Member of Parliament for Somerset 1656-1658 and for Taunton 1660-1679, was made a Baronet in 1661, "of Orchard, Somerset". It was during the tenure of the 1st Baronet that Orchard became known as Orchard Wyndham.
• Sir Edward Wyndham, 2nd Baronet (c. 1667–1695)
• Sir William Wyndham, 3rd Baronet (1687–1740)
• Sir Charles Wyndham, 4th Baronet (1710–1763). Succeeded his cousin as 2nd Earl of Egremont in 1750.
• George O'Brien Wyndham, 3rd Earl of Egremont (1751–1837)
• George Francis Wyndham, 4th Earl of Egremont (1785–1845), died without male progeny.
• William VI Wyndham (1834-1914), of Dinton, Wiltshire, JP, DL, cousin. He was heir male to his grandfather William IV Wyndham (1769-1841), of Dinton, under the will of his distant cousin (who shared common descent from Sir John Wyndham (1558-1645) of Orchard Wyndham)George Francis Wyndham, 4th Earl of Egremont (1786-1845), following the death of the 4th Earl's widow in 1876 who had retained a life interest in his estate.^[4] He thus inherited the ancient family manor of Orchard Wyndham. He married in 1867 Frances Ann Stafford (d.1934), 2nd daughter of Rev. Charles James Stafford, vicar of Dinton.
• William VII Wyndham (b.1868), eldest son, JP, of Orchard Wyndham. He sold Dinton in 1916 and made Orchard Wyndham his main seat.

Description

The house has been designated by English Heritage as a grade I listed building, ^[5] while the Bailiff's House,^[6] Lodge,^[7] remains of the walled garden^[8] and gate^[9] are also listed.

The Giant's Cave which is also known as the Blue Grotto, within the grounds, is a landscape feature in the form of a ruin, dating from the mid 18th century. It consists of large undressed blocks of red sandstone, irregularly placed in sections of wall about 2.5 metres high.^[10]

See also

• List of Grade I listed buildings in West Somerset

Sources

• Burke's Landed Gentry, 1937, p.2511, pedigree of Wyndham of Orchard Wyndham

References