The Trust's Estates in Leicestershire

The Little Dalby Estate
5,600 acres

The Little Dalby Estate, three miles south of Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire is the Trust's largest and, in many ways, its most complete estate. Extending to 5,600 acres, the estate was purchased in two parts by Ernest Cook, the northern half from the Burns Harttop family in 1938 and the southern half from Brasenose College in 1940. A further 480 acres comprising Grange Farm, Leesthorpe was purchased in 1977 with an additional 280 acres forming Jericho Farm being purchased in 2000.
 
The principal house, Little Dalby Hall, is relatively small and compact following extensive demolition after the war and subsequent modernisation. The house is surrounded by parkland and grassland and is in a most attractive area of high Leicestershire; outside this inner ring the heavy soil is, thanks to modern and powerful machinery, highly productive wheat land.
 
Following the Trustees’ policy of farm amalgamation and its desire to encourage the policy of family succession, there are currently five farming tenants on the estate from an original 19 holdings in 1952. Up until 1982 a number of farm houses and cottages were sold off the estate but, with the change in housing legislation, the Trustees resisted the temptation to sell off further surplus farm houses and cottages. Over the past 25 years, the properties have been modernised and improved to provide an important source of income. There are now 37 let houses and cottages on the estate.
 
The Little Dalby Estate was the pioneer of the Trustees’ policy of establishing in-hand farmers’ shoots on the estates in conjunction with the farm tenants; the success of the Dalby shoot is helped by their enthusiasm.
  
Nearly one-third of the estate is now within the Countryside Stewardship or Higher Level Schemes (schemes which help safeguard the environment) covering the central and southern parts of the estate around Rise Hill and Burrough Hill, together with one organic dairy farm.

The new wetland area of the River Eye (an important Site of Special Scientific Interest) and the adjoining land continues to be affected by the Melton Mowbray Flood Alleviation Scheme and the whole of the central and northern part of the estate is within the River Eye Catchment Sensitive Farming Scheme.

The Trustees’ policy of encouraging appropriate public access was first started in 1974 on the Little Dalby Estate with the establishment of the permissive path from Little Dalby to the Burrough on the Hill Iron Age fort, a country park let by ECT to Leicestershire County Council.

Much of the local footpath network is featured in nationally available guide books.

Royal appointment for organic farmer Nigel 

Dairy farmer Nigel Kirk was treated to a Royal appointment with the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, on a recent visit to Melton Mowbray.

Mr Kirk who runs Wilds Lodge Farm with his sister Julie on the Little Dalby Estate, was among guests invited to meet the royal couple during their tour of the Long Clawson Dairy, which celebrated the dairy’s centenary.

The Kirks, whose family have run Wilds Lodge Farm since 1932, have the distinction of being the only organic farm to supply milk to the well-known cheesemakers. Milk from 130 cows in their herd goes to make the company’s Organic Blue Stilton cheese.

They also supply milk for Organic Red Leicester cheese under the Duchy Originals brand, which was established by Prince Charles to promote organic food and farming.

“It’s such a privilege to have the opportunity to meet the royal couple,” said Nigel Kirk. “It was a real shock to be invited.”

Nicholas Ford said: “We are absolutely delighted that Nigel and Julie are achieving the recognition they deserve. They have put so much hard work into developing their dairy farm as an organic milk supplier.”

Burrough Hill gives up historic secrets 

An archaeological excavation at the Trust-owned Burrough Hill in Leicestershire is unearthing some fascinating clues about Iron Age and Roman life in the area. 

The dig, by scientists and students from the University of Leicester, began in June 2010. The site has long been known to be of archaeological importance, but apart from small-scale excavations in the 1950s and 60s, this is the first time it has been investigated properly. 

Burrough Hill is a well-preserved Iron Age fort which crowns a steep hillside near Little Dalby. The most significant discovery came from a geophysical survey, which found evidence of a second settlement nearby. 

Trenches dug in the fort itself have revealed part of its stone defences, along with a cobbled road and timber gateway. There is also evidence of a room, possibly a guardroom, built into the hill fort’s ramparts. 

The excavations have created quite a buzz locally – an open day in the summer attracted around 400 people. Further digs will begin next summer (2011), part of an ongoing five-year project.