Haydon Hall

Haydon Hall
Haydon Hall
Location within Greater London
General information
Architectural style	Classic
Location	Eastcote
Town or city	Greater London
Country	England
Coordinates	51°35′18″N 0°24′22″W / 51.588333°N 0.406111°W / 51.588333; -0.406111
Completed	1630 Rebuilt 1720
Demolished	1967
Client	Lady Alice, Dowager Countess of Derby
Technical details
Size	Grounds:14.7 acres (5.9 ha)

Haydon Hall was one of the three main houses of Eastcote, within what is now the London Borough of Hillingdon. The house was built in 1630 as a home for Lady Alice, Dowager Countess of Derby who had been living in Harefield. The house remained in the ownership of Lady Alice's descendants for several years, on the side of her eldest daughter. For a time the house was renamed "Eastcote Park" though was returned to the original name.

Under the ownership of Lawrence James Baker from 1864, the house was expanded with two wings, and several cottages for workers were built within the grounds. Baker also had Eastcote Lodge built within the estate, which his son and daughter-in-law moved into after their marriage.

Despite being purchased by the Ruislip-Northwood Urban District Council (RNUDC) and Middlesex County Council to serve as the RNUDC's new civic centre, the house fell into a state of disrepair during the Second World War and was eventually demolished in 1967. The area where the house stood still retains the Haydon Hall name, and includes a cricket club and public meeting rooms.

Lady Alice, Dowager Countess of Derby was already living at Harefield Place, although she became concerned that Lord Castlehaven, the second husband of her eldest daughter, Lady Anne Stanley, would attempt to claim her estate in the event of her death. She had Haydon Hall built in 1630, although Lord Castehaven was tried and executed the following year. After Lady Alice died in 1636, her eldest daughter reverted to her first married name, Lady Chandos, and became owner of the house.

The house remained in the possession of Lady Chandos' descendants for several generations until 1675, when it was bought by George Sitwell. He had moved to Eastcote in 1668 from Eckington to marry Elizabeth Hawtrey, whose family owned the nearby Eastcote House. Sitwell was an ironmaster, although his ironworks failed and he was lent money by his father-in-law, Ralph Hawtrey, with Haydon Hall as security. As a result of the failure, he was declared bankrupt in 1693, and his sister-in-law Mary's husband, Thomas Franklin, purchased it from him in 1698 having been his creditor. Franklin had the house rebuilt in the Classic style in 1720 and it was renamed "Deanes".