A recent development here on the Chedington Estate has been reintroducing traditional sheep farming. We have a brilliant full-time Shepherd Marcus, who along with sheepdog Wren, rear four different breeds and over 1200 sheep in total. The land management team worked hard to restore goodness into some of the main fields around the estate, and the flocks are rotated around them periodically to graze throughout the seasons.

The sheep currently graze over around 250 acres across North Buckham Farm and Chedington Court, but spread out over the whole estate over the winter. There is a lot of work cut out for Marcus and Wren as the flocks are moved regularly between grazing fields, back to the barns at North Buckham Farm for lambing, shearing or shelter.

Dr & Mrs Guy have been pleased to enjoy the sheep this Springtime as they have been situated right outside their home.

When an area of land isn’t being used for grazing, it is used for growing crops and haylage. This year, the team produced 150 bales of hay and 350 bales of haylage which was both sold and also used for the lucky horses based at Chedington Equestrian. The team there report that it is particularly effective resulting in plump and shiny-coated horses. The main season for this is over the spring and early summer, and the farming teams with their impressive tractor fleet often work late into the evening during the couple of days where they harvest the haylage in mid-June.

The land on the estate has also been used to grow a crop of wheat and forage crops which include fodder rape for the sheep. Over time, the aim is to produce crop that can be used as a bio-fuel in private and commercial vehicles, contributing to Chedington Estate’s sustainability vision of becoming carbon-negative.

As well as the agricultural side of the estate, the team also look after the land and buildings for a variety of other areas within the estate. The private gardens at Chedington Court are home to a great variety of plant and tree species as well as wildlife. The estate team make sure the grounds are maintained to a very high standard. Developments and improvements are always being made, we look forward to events such as open gardens where the hard work can be appreciated by the local community.

There are also specialised areas such as the cross-country arena at the equestrian yard which requires meticulous upkeep both for safety and presentation. Weekly and daily tasks include cutting the grass, tree planting and upkeep, and checking the ground and jumping facilities.

The team also look after the grounds, fences, gates, driveways, gardens, training fields, hedgerows (etc!) for a motorcycle business, wedding and events venue as well as a number of accommodation properties.