We are Chris and Laura Anstead. We are keen walkers having covered many miles up mountains, hills, alps, munros and dales, across the UK, Europe, South America and New Zealand and Australia, and have stayed in some amazing lodges, houses, castles, shacks and mountain shelters. We left West London wishing to find a little place in some country where we could walk straight from our front door. In doing so we found somewhere that was not only what we were looking for, but also something we could offer to others whilst making the most of our surroundings. A place for others to leave the city behind and find all the country they need for walking, but also a number of other sports too including cycling, horse riding, golf and fishing. We moved into Linacre Lodge in the summer of 2008 and immediately set about a full refurbishment. We opened the house to guests in the early autumn of 2009. Mable the cat is the leader of our furry friends chased regularly by Norman the scraggy ginger terrier, and his mate Algie the ball of fluff we think is a tabby.

Linacre Lodge stands at the end of a driveway that once led to the Elizabethan mansion of Baynards. Originally built by George More of Loseley, and rebuilt in 1832 by the Reverend Thomas Thurlow, the ghost of Sir Thomas More is said to haunt Baynards after he was decapitated on the order of Henry VIII in 1535 and his head put on public display, spiked on Tower Bridge in London. His daughter, Margaret Roper saved it from being thrown into the River Thames and brought the head back to Baynards Park for safe keeping pickled in spices.

Sadly, the last owner of Baynards Mansion - the late Alan Bristow (the founder of Bristow Helicopters) abandoned it after being refused planning permission and used it to store straw. Despite the best efforts of the local fire brigades the mansion was destroyed by fire in 1979. Today only the tower and gatehouse remain.

The two thousand acre Baynards Park estate is now split between three farms and small holdings, but the woodlands and pasture still remain and can be explored via numerous footpaths crossing the old estate.

References
1.The Derelic Miscellany
2. Mysterious Britain and Ireland - Baynards Park
3. Margaret Roper - Wikipedia
4. Alan Bristow Obituary