Easby Hall

Reverend William Smith (–1735) built the Hall in 1729 shortly after he bought the Easby Estate. He was the son of Dr. William Smith who lived in the village of Easby. His mother was Anne Layton and his uncle was Henry Layton, a philosopher and theological writer. William was educated at the local grammar school in Richmond and then went to the University of Oxford to obtain his degree. He was an antiquarian and obtained a Fellowship at Oxford where he remained for the next twelve years. In 1704, he became the Rector of Melsonby and retained this job until his death in 1735. He continued his writing while he was at Melsonby, and in 1727 at the age of 77 he wrote an 8 volume publication…

Robert Jaques (1769–1842) was a gentleman and a breeder of race horses. After he bought the Easby Estate in 1816, he turned the property into a breeding stud. His son wrote a book on the history of the stud in 1860, and outlines the many famous racing horses that his father owned. Robert was born in 1769 in Bedale, Yorkshire. He and his brother became merchants in London and both acquired considerable fortunes. In 1808, he married Sarah Whittaker and the couple had two sons and one daughter. Unfortunately, she died in 1814. Shortly after he married Mary Lunn and the couple had a daughter Sarah who was born in 1816 in Easby Hall. When he died in 1842 his eldest son Richard Machel Jaques…