Background

When the Romans arrived in the area it was heavily wooded, sparsely populated and minimally farmed. They called it the forest of Anderida and valued it for its iron production, which they exported beyond Britain. The remains of a Roman ‘bloomery’ - an iron smelting site - have been found on Wadhurst Park.

Still heavily wooded, the land was used mainly for seasonal pig grazing, or pannage, alongside hunting and the harvesting of timber and fuel. Temporary woodland pastures, known as dens, were occupied seasonally. This is still reflected in place‑names on the estate, such as Sharnden and Flattenden.

Permanent human settlement of the area grew, and woods were increasingly cleared, or 'assarted', for agriculture. Unlike other parts of England, many woods were left uncleared due to their importance as a fodder and fuel resource, including for iron-making. The characteristic High Weald pattern of small, irregular fields amongst woodland was largely established during this period. 

No permanent settlements were recorded on our land in the Domesday book of 1086. First mention of habitation on our site is in 1295.

First reference to a house called Hightown. This name was kept until the 19th century when it was changed to Wadhurst Park.

Anthony Everenden produced the earliest known estate map.

The tithe map of 1840 shows us who worked the land, what they used it for, and what they called it. The land here was managed by nearly 30 different families, around half of whom were tenants rather than owners. Land use included pasture, hay meadows, arable, orchards, hops, and woodland.

The house and land, 1500 acres, were bought by the Murrieta brothers, from Spain. They were London based bankers, making their fortune trading in South America. Their focus for the estate was on social and sporting activities.

The Murrietas engage Edward Tarver to build Wadhurst Hall in the Old English style.

The first Ordnance Survey map of the area (1878-1879) was made, showing a landscape broadly unchanged since the Middle Ages. We use this map to inform much of our work, from replanting hedgerows and recreating old fields to re-establishing lost woods, ponds and marshes.

Creation of the 33-acre lake to enhance the duck shooting.

The estate, house and most of its contents were bought by Julius Drewe. He had a large staff both in the house and on the land along with large, carefully maintained gardens.

The house was requisitioned by the government to the Canadian army. The estate was also used as a prisoner of war camp for German and Italian soldiers who worked on local farms, housed in temporary huts about the grounds.

Wadhurst Hall, having fallen into disrepair, was pulled down and the fittings sold at auction.

Märit and Hans Rausing visited the abandoned site, where only the walls of the Orangery remained. This starts the new chapter in how the land is managed. 

The deer park was created and stocked with a range of exotic and native deer, including Fallow, Red, Sika, Père David and Barasingha. 

Construction of the New House, now a Grade One listed building, designed by John Outram. 

Tree planting begins across the estate. Since then, we have planted more than 800 single trees (and many more in our planted woods). Some are rare Sussex trees such as wild pear and wild service tree. Others are clones of local black poplars, crab apple and veteran white willow.

Batts Wood purchased from the Forestry Commission. This ancient woodland had been turned into a conifer plantation and had been badly damaged in the 1987 storm. Left to regenerate naturally, today it is mostly broadleaved trees and is home to abundant wildlife. 

Wadhurst Park received its first White Storks as part of the reintroduction project.

White Stork Project

After years of reducing numbers, we removed the remaining park deer as well as the deer fences.