IN the late 1700s, Robert Williams, described in his History of Parliament entry as ‘a self-made man [who] became a leading London banker and a director of the East India Company’, purchased estates at Littlebredy, Dorset, and Moor Park, Hertfordshire, and, in 1807, secured himself a seat in Parliament as MP for Dorchester.
The Littlebredy lands, listed as ‘Brydian’ in the Domesday survey, were owned by Cerne Abbey until the Dissolution and by the Mellor family in the 18th century. They were absentee landlords and neglected the estate, especially the manor house, which was in a state of disrepair when Williams acquired it in 1797. At this time, his main estate was Moor Park and building activities at Littlebredy were limited at first, although he visited frequently and, having
