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HOSTING HENRY VIII THIS WEEKEND

The Estate's Future

At West Horsley Place, we are working to create an estate where nature, history and community thrive together. A place where people can be creative while wildlife flourishes too. Our vision is a landscape rich in biodiversity, resilient to climate change, and open for everyone to enjoy.

Our vision

Our ambitious plans for the estate include restoring and expanding our orchard and parkland, bringing our woodlands back into active management after decades of neglect, connecting these woodlands by investing in new woodland creation, shifting from monocultural grassland to enhance grassland species diversity, supporting priority animal species to thrive across the local landscape, and much, much more. All of this will be delivered via an interconnected mosaic of habitats, the management of which will be competitively income-generating and offer opportunities for public access and engagement with nature.

We imagine a future where:

  • Ancient parkland and meadows are alive with wildflowers, butterflies, and birds.

  • Woodlands are healthy, diverse, and sustainably managed.

  • Ponds, streams, and wetlands provide vital habitats for amphibians, insects, and rare species.

  • Visitors can walk, learn, and take inspiration from a landscape that connects heritage with sustainability.

  • Everything we do supports the wider countryside and future generations.

Our Plans

To bring this vision to life, we are:

  • Restoring meadows and grasslands – protecting wildflowers, orchids, insects, and ground-nesting birds.

  • Caring for our woodlands – removing invasive species, practising traditional coppicing, and supporting rare wildlife such as dormice and bats.

  • Reviving wetlands – creating ponds, scrapes, and a cascading series of restored historic ‘stew ponds’ to boost biodiversity and reduce flooding.

  • Promoting sustainable farming – using rare-breed cattle and sheep for conservation grazing, and producing hay for the local community.

  • Growing resilient gardens and orchards – showcasing unusual and climate-ready plants while sharing knowledge about sustainable gardening.

  • Working with neighbours – collaborating with local landowners to deliver positive change across the wider landscape.

Our Sustainabilty Goals