The Estate is managed on a day-to-day basis by a full-time Estate Manager and his team in the Estate Office. The Estate also employs
- a joinery team (working out of a well-equipped joiners' shop)
- two full-time woodsmen
- two full-time maintenance men
Policy
Our policy has been to attempt to revitalise the Estate in various ways consistent with encouraging traditional agricultural activities and rural pursuits and preserving the traditional appearance of the countryside. We aim, so far as we can within the inevitable financial constraints: to support farming (since farmers are the backbone of the community) and other rural activities.
- to generate local employment
- to preserve and enhance the countryside and the environment as best we can
- to restore and preserve the traditional buildings on the Estate.
Plans
At the heart of the revitalisation of the Estate over the last few years has been the restoration of a number of derelict or abandoned buildings. We intend to continue that programme of restorations as far as possible.
We have many future plans and ideas for the Estate. For instance:
- We would like to restore the extensive home-farm buildings at Furnace Farm as a commercial development, probably orientated towards food and agricultural produce. For details see the Furnace Farm page.
- We would like to develop various equestrian activities on the Estate. For details, see the Country Pursuits page.