The Estate
The Parlaunt Park Estate – which lay to the south of where Parlaunt Road now is - came into being at the end of the 15th century. The manor house, a fine Tudor building, had an ancient moat that surrounded it. The estate may have been a deer park.

Early Keepers
Sir Henry Norreys, a favourite of Henry VIII, was made keeper of the park in 1531. He soon fell out of favour when accused of being Ann Boleyn’s lover and was executed in 1536. Five years later the estate went to Sir Anthony Denny another of the King’s favourite. Sir Thomas Heneage was granted the estate in 1548. He was Vice-Chamberlain to Queen Elizabeth I.

Farming
Years later it passed to the Paget family (who also owned the Manor of Iver), until mid 18th century. Later it passed on to Sir William Irby, (Lord Boston) and remained part of the Boston family lands, but was farmed by the Ives family who were related.

During the mid 19th century a Mr Ives was the tenant. In 1851, at the death of William Ives, the livestock etc was put up by auction. The local paper advertised: 9 superior cart horses, 5 dairy cows, 8 bacon hogs, 18 strong store pigs, 200 fine down lambs and ricks of wheat and oats. Also 3 market wagons, two horse power thrashing machines and brewing equipment. But the farm was carried on by the Ives family.

Then the factories came
In the early 1920s it formed part of the Richings Park Estate, bought by the Sykes brothers. By 1936 Hawker Sidley had bought Parlaunt Park farm and Hurricane and Tempest aircraft were constructed there. By 1949 Ford Motor Company had taken over the site for the manufacture of commercial vehicles.

By Michael Day
Source: Ask Michael Day