History

Edward Bathurst (1680 – 1772), a London barrister and Master of the Middle Temple, inherited the property via three childless uncles, and set about rebuilding the property – new Finchcocks – “at great expense and in a most stately manner”. The house was completed in 1725, and was passed to his son Reverend Thomas, who was forced to sell the property in 1796, ending 230 years of the Bathurst family at Finchcocks.

Robert Springett (1753 – 1826), another important local landowner purchased the property from the Bathursts in 1797. With an enlarged estate supported by its land and labourers, the Springett’s period of ownership was characterised by civil unrest resulting from the threat to the workforce of the introduction of a first wave of agricultural mechanisation. The property only remained in the Springett family for another generation, before it was once again sold to recoup the financial losses of the second generation.

Edward Hussey, who owned neighbouring Scotney, purchased the property in 1863, effectively joining the estates. Edward Hussey, continued to live at Scotney, where he had a new mansion constructed, so subsequently leased out Finchcocks to various tenants. The property was eventually sold, but most of the land associated with the original Finchcocks estate, remained in the ownership of the Hussey family (a proportion of which was subsequently bequeathed to the National Trust).

Captain AWJ Cecil bought the property in 1919 and set about the task of modernising the various water and electrical services in the building. 16 years later, it then passed to Francis Lycett Green, who was a prolific art collector and who reconfigured the South Wing as an art gallery. After a 10 year period of ownership by David and Antonia St Clair Erskine, Finchcocks played host to the Legat Ballet School for another decade, before being bought by Richard and Katrina Burnett.