More information here - https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol7/pp74-78"The GROVE HOUSE estate originated in a tenement called the Grove, with lands in Sutton and Strand-on-the-Green. They were acquired from the feoffees of John atte Wode in 1412 by Thomas Holgill (fn. 45) and were possibly held by Robert atte Grove in 1352 (fn. 46) or Robert de Grava in 1202 x 1216. (fn. 47) William Holgill, described like Thomas Holgill as esquire, (fn. 48) occurred in 1458. (fn. 49) The Barkers perhaps held the land when they were first recorded at Chiswick, in 1537. (fn. 50) Anthony Barker leased Grove farm of c. 170 a. in socage from St. Paul's in 1597 and left an interest to Anne (d. 1607), widow of William Barker of Sonning (Berks.). Anne's son Thomas Barker of the Middle Temple (d. 1630) was active in parish government and apparently was succeeded at Chiswick not by his 17-year old eldest son William (fn. 51) but by a younger son, probably Thomas, a royalist killed at Lansdown in 1643. Thomas was followed by his brother Henry, (fn. 52) who was admitted to further copyholds of Sutton Court in 1655 and whose seat was called Grove House by 1664, when he ranked with Thomas Kendall as the second largest ratepayer after Sir Edward Nicholas. (fn. 53) Further lands were added by Henry (d. 1695), who owned much property in Berkshire, (fn. 54) and by his eldest son Scory Barker, also of the Middle Temple. (fn. 55) Scory's son Henry was admitted in 1714 and was the last Barker at Grove House, where he died in 1745. (fn. 56) Although Henry had sons, he left his Chiswick lands, copyhold of both Sutton Court and the Prebend manors, to trustees, who conveyed some to Henry Barker of Wallingford (Berks.) but sold others in 1761 and 1762 to the duke of Devonshire. (fn. 57)Grove House itself was acquired before 1750 (fn. 58) by Henry d'Auverquerque, earl of Grantham (d. 1754), who was succeeded by his daughter Frances, wife of Col. William Eliott. (fn. 59) After the death of Lady Frances Eliott in 1772 the house and park were sold freehold (fn. 60) to the politician Humphry Morice (1723-85), who entertained Horace Walpole there in 1782. (fn. 61) Morice left the estate, known also as Chiswick Grove, (fn. 62) to Lavinia, widow of John Luther, on condition that she maintain an old servant and some stray animals. (fn. 63) Between 1807 and 1810 (fn. 64) it passed to Robert Lowth (d. 1822), canon of St. Paul's, (fn. 65) whose widow remained there in 1830. (fn. 66) Joseph Gurney lived there in 1855 (fn. 67) before its purchase in 1861 by the duke of Devonshire, (fn. 68) whose tenants included Robert Prowett in 1862 and 1867, Col. R. B. Mulliner in 1874 and 1882, (fn. 69) and Joseph Atkins Borsley by 1888. (fn. 70) Although much of the estate was built over to form Grove Park, (fn. 71) Lt.-Col. Robert William Shipway bought the house, with neighbouring lands, from Borsley and others in 1895, preserving it until after his death in 1928. (fn. 72)Before the late 19th century Grove House stood by itself, slightly south of the existing Grove Park Road. (fn. 73) The mansion, assessed at 15 hearths in 1664, (fn. 74) had three storeys with a pedimented Ionic portico by 1792 (fn. 75) but was reduced to two storeys by the duke of Devonshire, perhaps to designs by Decimus Burton. (fn. 76) Alterations carried out for Lt.-Col. Shipway revealed thin bricks which had been rendered and much decoration of the early 18th century, (fn. 77) presumably relics of the 'regular modern building' known to Bowack. (fn. 78) The grounds, stretching southward and bordering the Thames, covered 84 a. c. 1775, of which 67 a. formed an enclosed park. (fn. 79) Praised by Bowack (fn. 80) and reputedly landscaped for the earl of Grantham, (fn. 81) they were later noted for their knolls and clumps of trees. (fn. 82)"
Richard Greenhough ● 2330d