Once upon a time Haynes Park was known as Hawnes Park. This grand estate boasts a rich history stretching back centuries. Built around 1725 for John Carteret the second Earl Granville Haynes Park was not always a stately home. It underwent several remodelings and expansions by his descendants. The house is a Grade I listed building. It is constructed of red and white brick. It has two storeys with attics and slate roofs.
Later additions formed a courtyard. The south front has thirteen bays in a 3-7-3 formation. Two outer bays project in two-storey bows. Haynes Park sits on approximately 800 acres. This includes parkland and woodland. It passed through generations of the Carteret and Thynne families. Each adding their mark to the grand estate. Lord John Thynne a Canon of Westminster even had a monument erected in his honor in Westminster Abbey.
Haynes Park was home to a notable collection of portraits. These depicted the Grenville Carteret and Thynne families. Imagine seeing portraits of Sir Richard Grenville Sir Bernard Grenville and Sir Bevil Grenville. The park held a portrait of Sir George Carteret too. He purchased Haynes in 1667.
In 1929 Haynes Park became Hawnes Girls School. This boarding school remained until 1975. Clarendon School for Girls then took over after a fire destroyed their previous premises. A fascinating fact is that the television show Treasure Hunt was filmed there in 1986.
The Radha Soami Satsang Beas British Isles RSSB an Indian sect later acquired Haynes Park. They purchased the property in 1992. The estate is still occupied by the RSSB and its associated organization Science of the Soul. Haynes Park stands as a testament to generations of families and varied uses. It is a fascinating piece of history.