CHRISTOPHER Lewis Loyd, the head of Lockinge Estate, near Wantage, has died aged 90.

Although he was in charge of a 7,500-acre estate, he “never acted the grand gentleman”, and demolished his own home to save the estate.

He died at home on July 14 and his funeral was held at All Saints Church, Lockinge, last Thursday.

Giving the eulogy, the Rev Elizabeth Birch said: “His whole life had this place, this land, this community, this church as the hub from which everything else radiated out.”

His father was a cousin to Harriet Sarah Jones-Loyd, Lady Wantage, wife of Robert Loyd Lindsay, Lord Wantage, from whom the family inherited the Lockinge Estate.

Born at Lockinge House on June 1, 1923, he had two older brothers, John and Martin, and two older sisters, Anne and Hester, and a twin sister Catherine.

Mr Lewis Loyd went to preparatory school at Stone House, followed by Eton and when the Second World War broke out in 1939 he was 16 and followed his brother John into the Coldstream Guards.

John was wounded and subsequently died from from his wounds in October 1943 Mr Lewis Loyd’s father died unexpectedly in November 1944.

Mr Lewis Loyd was later awarded a Military Cross for protecting his men under enemy fire.

Back in England he inherited the Lockinge Estate which needed many servants to run and, unable to contain spiralling costs, Mr Loyd pulled it down in 1947, and moved the family to nearby Betterton House. He then took on the role of landowner – farming, forestry and estate management – and his lifelong passions included art, books, dogs, and racing and riding horses.

He married Joanna Smith-Bingham in St Margaret’s, Westminster, on December 17, 1957. They had three children – Thomas born in 1959, Harriet in 1962 and James in 1966.

Lockinge church organist Valerie Diamand said: “He didn’t act the grand gentleman, he was just Christopher to everybody.

“He was a very good landlord.” tried to keep people in business in the village.”

To ensure the survival of the estate into the next century, Mr Loyd pioneered the conversion of disused farm buildings for alternative purposes, welcoming businesses from the 1970s onwards.

Mr Loyd handed the running of the estate to his son Thomas in 1985 but kept his hand in until the last years of his life.

The estate is now home to some 60 commercial units and 150 homes.

Friend and fellow landowner David Castle, from Charlton, said: “To me he was the perfect gentleman.”

He is survived by sister Catherine, his children, and grandchildren Camilla, Sophie, Kit, Emily, Charlie, William and Eliza.