Maddisons and Lambs , solicitors

The GROVE HOUSE estate originated in a tenement called the Grove, with lands in Sutton and Strand-on-the-Green. The Barkers perhaps held the land when they were first recorded at Chiswick, in 1537. Anthony Barker leased Grove farm of 170 acres in socage from St. Paul's in 1597 and left an interest to Anne (d. 1607), widow of William Barker of Sonning. Anne's son Thomas Barker of the Middle Temple (d. 1630) was active in parish government and apparently was succeeded at Chiswick not by his 17-year old eldest son William but by a younger son, probably Thomas, a royalist killed at Lansdown in 1643. Thomas was followed by his brother Henry, who was admitted to further copyholds of Sutton Court in 1655 and whose seat was called Grove House by 1664, when he ranked with Thomas Kendall as the second largest ratepayer after Sir Edward Nicholas. Further lands were added by Henry (d. 1695), who owned much property in Berkshire, and by his eldest son Scory Barker, also of the Middle Temple. Scory's son Henry was admitted in 1714 and was the last Barker at Grove House, where he died in 1745. Although Henry had sons, he left his Chiswick lands, copyhold of both Sutton Court and the Prebend manors, to trustees, who conveyed some to Henry Barker of Wallingford but sold others in 1761 and 1762 to the duke of Devonshire.

Grove House itself was acquired before 1750 by Henry d'Auverquerque, earl of Grantham (d. 1754), who was succeeded by his daughter Frances, wife of Col. William Eliott. After the death of Lady Frances Eliott in 1772 the house and park were sold freehold to the politician Humphry Morice (1723-85), who entertained Horace Walpole there in 1782. Morice left the estate, known also as Chiswick Grove, to Lavinia, widow of John Luther, on condition that she maintain an old servant and some stray animals. Between 1807 and 1810 it passed to Robert Lowth (d. 1822), canon of St. Paul's, whose widow remained there in 1830. Joseph Gurney lived there in 1855 before its purchase in 1861 by the duke of Devonshire, whose tenants included Robert Prowett in 1862 and 1867, Col. R. B. Mulliner in 1874 and 1882, and Joseph Atkins Borsley by 1888. Although much of the estate was built over to form Grove Park, Lt.-Col. Robert William Shipway bought the house, with neighbouring lands, from Borsley and others in 1895, preserving it until after his death in 1928.

From: 'Chiswick: Other estates', A History of the County of Middlesex: Volume 7: Acton, Chiswick, Ealing and Brentford, West Twyford, Willesden (1982), pp. 74-78. Available online.