Sotheron-Estcourt family of Estcourt

The Estcourt family was established at Shipton Moyne (Gloucestershire) by the early 14th century, and perhaps much earlier. The estates passed from father to son from then until 1726, and were substantially augmented by Thomas Estcourt through the purchase of Dursley and Cam (Gloucestershire) in 1595, Newington Bagpath and Lasborough (Gloucestershire) in 1598, and former chantry lands at Tetbury (Gloucestershire) in 1609.

On the death of Walter Estcourt (c.1645-1726) the estates passed to his cousin Thomas Estcourt (1697-1746) and then to the latter’s brother, Edmund (1674-1758), who acquired Long Newnton (Gloucestershire, formerly Wiltshire), Rollestone and Shrewton (Wiltshire) in 1704 under the will of his cousin Ann Estcourt (d. 1668) and bought estates at Ashley, Avening and Sapperton (Gloucestershire) in 1754. At his death, most of the family estates were bequeathed to a distant kinsman, Matthew Estcourt of Cam (Gloucestershire), resulting in a long legal dispute with Edmund Estcourt’s widow and daughter which was only resolved in 1769 when Thomas Estcourt (1748-1818) came of age and acquired undisputed control of the property. He later rebuilt Estcourt House (1779-81), purchased the manors of Shipton Moyne and Shipton Dovel in 1794 and acquired Oxhey (Hertfordshire) through his marriage to Jane, daughter of Viscount Grimston. Property at Bishops Cannings and Devizes (Wiltshire) came to his eldest son, Thomas George Bucknall Estcourt (1775-1853) in 1801 through his marriage to the daughter and heir of James Sutton of New Park, Devizes. His grandson, Thomas Henry Sutton Sotheron-Estcourt (d. 1876) acquired lands in Yorkshire in 1839 through his marriage to Lucy, daughter and heir of Admiral Frank Sotherton.

On the death of George Sotheron-Estcourt, 1st Baron Estcourt (1839-1915), the estates again passed to a distant cousin, Edmund Walter Estcourt. The estate was much reduced through the sale of estates in the 20th century, and in 1996 Desmond Sotheron-Estcourt, the last surviving member of the family, sold the Estcourt estate itself and moved to another county, ending a 700 year association with Gloucestershire.