Tidgrove Estate

Grassland habitat in June

Areas of grassland that would traditionally have been cut for hay are left ungrazed over the spring and summer months providing valuablew habitat for mammals, reptiles, birds and insects

Meadow Lake

Meadow lake was the first of three large lakes constructed in the last 30 years. These have provided invaluable habitats for all number of species including an Osprey who visits every year in the Spring

Belted Galloway Cattle

Our resident herd of Belted Galloways are used to graze within scrub and also at certain times of year on the regenerated grassland habitats.

Scrub at sunset in October

Photographed in late October, the regenerated srub still holding it leaf and fix carbon. © Charles Sainsbury-Plaice

On the edge of Lancaster lane

Lots of species have spead out from the thick ancient hedgerow know as Lancaster lane. © Charles Sainsbury-Plaice

Barn Owl

One of our resident Barn Owls - photographed by Shane King

Stone Curlew

Stone Curlews

Timeless Tranquility

Tidgrove is a small country estate in North Hampshire comprising a number of listed period properties surrounded by a mixture of parkland, woodland and farmland with three lakes each strategically placed both for amenity and conservation purposes.

During the medievalperiod Tidgrove was the site of a Royal palace complex used by the Norman Kings both for sporting pursuits and as a convenient stop over between their domains in England and France.

Since 1988 the once, arable farmland has been the subject of a habitat improvement project to re-introduce and re-establish threatened species of both flora and fauna, put under increasing pressureby the speed, customs and constraints of modern agricultural practice.

The resultant habitat is made up of naturally regenerated scrub/trees (blackthorn, hawthorn, ash, elm, hazel and oak) along with grassland and wildflower paddock areas. We have created three large lakes throughout the estate as well. A small herd of Belted Galloway cattle are used to provide rotational and mob grazing to the scrub and paddock areas.

Tidgrove now provides suitable breeding habitats for an increasing number of rare birds including Stone Curlews, Lapwings and most of the native species of Owl.