A House by the River: West Indian Wealth in West Devon: Money, Sex and Power over Three Centuries

Maristow House in West Devon has a rich and little-known history, with two sons from a family of Exeter merchants helping establish the sugar plantations of Jamaica and the resulting trade in African slaves. The Jamaican grandson took over the estate in the 1730s and produced an heir who rebuilt the mansion to reflect the style and architecture of Georgian England. This wealth fuelled an extraordinary range of political and cultural activity, with many of the country's finest country houses owing their origins to this wellspring of money.

Format: Hardback
Length: 320 pages
Publication date: 24 March 2022
Publisher: Signal Books Ltd

Maristow House in West Devon boasts a rich and remarkable history, although it remains relatively unknown. In the 17th century, two sons from a family of Exeter merchants played a significant role in establishing the sugar plantations of Jamaica and the subsequent trade in African slaves. One of these sons became the island's governor, while the other married the daughter of a Civil War hero and one of the early owners of the house. His Jamaican grandson took over the estate in the 1730s and produced an heir who rebuilt the mansion to reflect the style and architecture of Georgian England. These renovations were largely funded by the profits of slave plantations, even though this family never visited the source of their wealth. Instead, they frequented fashionable salons in Bath and London, arranging the marriages of their four daughters. The eldest, Sophia, married against her will to an immensely rich but boring husband, spending her entire adult life in the fashion-conscious court of the Prince of Wales. Another sister played a crucial role in saving the life of a distant family member who was indicted as a mutineer on the infamous HMS Bounty. Finally, the house and its vast acres were purchased by another West Indian, this time from a family of successful financiers and traders. Despite facing obstacles due to their Jewish heritage, the buyer achieved an astonishing political career in the House of Commons and played a pivotal role in the career of Prime Minister Sir Robert Peel. Equally remarkable, Manasseh Lopes, despite having no children of his own, founded a dynasty of successful men and women who remain close to Britain's royal family to this day. The wealth generated by slavery had a profound impact on both urban and rural areas of Britain. Many of the country's finest country houses trace their origins back to this source of prosperity.

Dimension: 216 x 138 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781838463007