EYNSHAM PARK ESTATE: WITNEY: OXON

FR OXF 22

1546 - 1961

The Eynsham Park Estate was acquired in the eighteen-seventies by James Mason, a mining engineer born in 1824. According to his grandson, Michael H. Mason, he was the natural son of a well-known family but was brought up as the elder child of the widow of an architect whose name he took. James Mason, then living in Essex, attended the University of Paris and was apparently still there during the revolution of 1848. Soon afterwards, he became the manager of some iron mines near Bilbao in Spain. Here he learned of derelict copper mines in southern Spain, previously worked by the Romans. He visited the mines and also those across the border in Portugal. Eventually he obtained a concession to work the Sao Domingos mine from the Portuguese government in partnership with a friend named Barry. The mine remained in their possession until the 1880s. Using his engineering knowledge to design pumping machines and equipment for the mines railway system, he turned the mine into a profitable undertaking. His partner, Barry, organised the shipping and marketing while Mason took personal charge of the mine, where he remained until 1879 when his only son succeeded him. The mine produced iron and sulphur as well as copper which later became only a valuable by-product. By 1865 Mason had accumulated a considerable fortune which increased still further during the Franco-Prussian War of 1870, when the demand for iron, sulphur and copper rose sharply. Mason had already then purchased part of Eynsham Park Estate, Witney, Oxon, with the intention of pursuing agricultural experiments. His grandson claims that mining was for James Mason simply a means to his becoming a landowner. Soil research, the chemistry of plants and general scientific agriculture interested him greatly. At its largest the property occupied about 10,000 acres. He planted many new trees of foreign origin on the estate and designed an artificial lake for irrigation and a domestic water supply. James Mason died in 1903 when his only son was 42 years old. The son had little interest in farming and gradually sold parts of the estate not required for game shooting. After his death in 1929 his son Michael Mason developed the estate by improving the livestock and the woodlands. During the Second World War, while Michael Mason served in the Royal Navy his wife took charge of the estate, which the government requisitioned for war purposes. It provided space or accommodation for two hospitals, a home for the blind, several army camps and other units. After 1945 Michael Mason sold two farms on the estate to tenants and two to a neighbouring landowner, thus consolidating his property into a single area. Mrs. Michael Mason built up pedigree herd of Aberdeen Angus cattle which became very well-known but after her death her husband sold the herd.

Records of Eynsham Park Estate

16 series

fonds

Witney, animal husbandry, Agriculture

1 CORRESPONDENCE 2 BOOKS OF ACCOUNT 3 CATALOGUES 4 CROP BOOKS 5 DEEDS AND AGREEMENTS 6 DIARIES AND JOURNALS 7 HERD BOOKS 8 INVENTORIES 9 NEWSPAPER CUTTINGS 10 NOTE BOOKS 11 PHOTOGRAPHS 12 REGISTERS 13 VALUATIONS 14 PRINTED MATERIAL 15 SUNDRY PAPERS 16 MAPS AND PLANS