The Jennens Family

The Jennens (or Jennings) Family

On 29th December 1708, Acton Place was purchased from the Daniels family in trust for Robert Jennens, the father of William Jennens, the Acton miser.

Robert Jennens began to build a noble mansion at Acton Place, which he was on the point of completing when he died in 1725. It is said to have been a magnificent country seat, which for the grandeur of its hall, and massive elegance of its marble chimney pieces, as well as the beauty and extent of its stables and other offices was "totally unrivalled in that part of the country". It was superbly furnished, the walls were hung with tapestries, the ceilings were decorated. The whole of one room was hung with needlework in blue and white with bed covers and chairs to match. The adjoining room, known as the "Silk Room", was furnished with elegantly painted silk. The staircase and one entire wing of the house, which was to have been a superb ballroom, were left totally incomplete at Robert Jennens' death in 1725.

His son William never added to the unfinished structure, in fact he let the house fall into disrepair, as he hated spending any money.

After William's death in 1825 the house was almost totally demolished and the furnishing and building materials were sold. All that remained was the brew house and the bakehouse until fairly recently.

Nothing remains now except a broken gravestone of Robert Jennens' dog, and four plaster busts, which are now in the Vestry.

It has been suggested that Acton Place was destroyed in order to remove every trace which might have led to the discovery of the parentage of William Jennens.