The Lost History of Mary Davies: Leo Hollis (1701)
Leo Hollis, author of Inheritance: the lost history of Mary Davies
St Paul’s Cathedral. The West End. The Houses of Parliament. London is one of the great cities of the world and we’re instantly familiar with its famous buildings and neighbourhoods. But rarely do we consider the simple question: ‘who owns it?’
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So who does own London? This gigantic question was the starting point for Leo Hollis’ latest book Inheritance, The Lost History of Mary Davies. Researching it sent him on a journey deep into the personal history of one remarkable woman, her position as an heiress, her failing mental health, her religious conversion and a tumultuous journey to Rome and back. When she was six months’ old, Davies’ Father died of the plague and she inherited the Manor of Ebury - a parcel of land that today includes some of the most expensive real estate on the planet: Park Lane and Mayfair – the best properties on the Monopoly board for a reason.
The East Prospect of St Paul’s Cathedral, avatar of London reborn. (Wellcome Trust)
Mary inherited the land at the very moment that London was beginning to expand exponentially; by the early eighteenth century, it would be the largest city in the world. What was swampy farmland in the 1660s, was soon to be transformed into elegant streets and stylish squares, vastly increasing its value. When she was just 12 years old, Mary was married to Sir William Grosvenor, and her lands were combined with his own considerable holdings – large swathes of what is now central London. He died in 1700 leaving his wife in a fragile state of mind with four young children to care for.
In recovering Mary’s story and telling it for the first time, Hollis reveals the lamentable status of women in this period, in particular their lack of agency over their own lives and their vulnerability. In giving Mary a voice, he gives us moving insights into attitudes towards mental illness and its treatment – medically, legally and socially.
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Click here to order Leo Hollis’s book from John Sandoe’s who, we are delighted to say, are supplying books for the podcast.
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Show notes
Scene One: March 1701, The still incomplete St Paul's cathedral, centrepiece of the huge rebuilding project that began as a result of the Great Fire of London in 1666. Sir Christopher Wren is struggling to finish off his masterwork as budgets spiral out of control and people begin to wonder if it has all been worthwhile.
Scene Two: 12-18 June 1701, Hotel Castille, Paris. Mary Davies arrives from Rome, suffering from serious mental illness and accompanied by the Fenwick brothers, whose actions during these few days form the basis of the ensuing court cases. What really did happen? Was Dame Mary poisoned? Drugged? Was she the victim of a plot or did she fall deeply in love? Can we ever know?
Scene Three: 13 August 1701. A lawyer for the supposed husband pins a court summons onto the railings of the home of Mrs Tregonwell in Millbank, Mary's mother. Mary is inside but refuses to come out. The family decide that they will fight the demands of the new husband and so beings the long road to the trial of April 4, 1703. The next day, Mary escapes to Chester and (probably) never returns to London.
Memento: The only contract that Mary Grosvenor signed, from October 1700. Despite being a wealthy heiress, she only ever did one land deal her whole life. (The document is in fact in the Westminster archives)
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Presenter: Violet Moller
Guest: Leo Hollis
Production: Maria Nolan
Podcast partner: Colorgraph
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About Leo Hollis
Leo Hollis is the author of two acclaimed history books: The Phoenix: The Men Who Made Modern London, and Stones of London, as well as the international bestseller, Cities are Good for You. He has written for the New Statesman, Guardian and Financial Times. He speaks globally on urbanism, technology and the future of cities including TEDx; Warsaw, Moscow, Karlsruhe, Buenos Aires, and in 2021 will be part of the Venice architectural Biennale. He teaches an annual course on eighteenth-century London at the V&A. He lives in London.
Mary, Lady Grosvenor
Image credit: WikiCommons
Maps
Sir Christopher Wren's plan of London
Image credit: Wellcome Trust
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