The 9th Marquess of Hertford meets with Mary Skipwith to discuss the Ragley estate’s award-winning approach to land management and environmental stewardship
It is in an unassuming corner of his stately Palladian mansion, away from public eyes, that the 9th Marquess of Hertford prefers to hang his most treasured accolades. Two are certificates: one awarding him fellowship of the Royal Agricultural Society of England (RASE); the other from the late Queen appointing him High Steward of Stratford. But it is a framed medal that, despite its diminutive measurements, is his “greatest achievement” to date: the RASE Bledisloe Gold Medal for Landowners.
Awarded to Lord Hertford in 2024, the medal recognises ‘outstanding achievement in the successful land management and development’ of the Ragley estate in Warwickshire. When Lord Hertford became custodian in 1991, aged 33, he inherited a regime of farming to maximise food production, as had been typical in the post-war period. “Other matters, such as ecology, were secondary and so it was only once I started to step back from the everyday that I began to see what else I could do,” he recalls.
Ecology and conservation is an area Lord Hertford has concentrated on developing, from a focus on soil health to dedicating 500 acres to stewardship schemes. An avenue of trees, planted for the Queen’s Green Canopy initiative, adds to the landscape of ancient woodlands that includes 120 veteran trees. “My father, who was passionate about trees, won Royal Forestry Society medals in 1980. Back then there was much more compartmentalisation. You’d have the forestry, you’d have the farms and it was a case of ‘never the twain shall meet’. Over the years we have looked at how to bridge the gap to be more wildlife friendly. For example, if woods are far apart and not connected by a hedge then we create something to act as a highway.
“In the 1990s I used to run the farm by riding out on my horse daily. I would take my palmtop computer and phone with me but I couldn’t use both and steer at the same time, so my mare got used to being parked up while I worked,” says Lord Hertford. “Nowadays I sit behind a desk more than I would like but I can’t be more hands-on because of my physical limitations. I spent years masking my decline but since being in a wheelchair I have adapted my ways of being involved. I regularly go out in my fourwheeled all-terrain mobility scooter to look at everything in the park. It is rather like a sheep – it seems to want to get stuck and die – but I am independent in it. I also spend a couple of hours every month driving around with my farm manager. I like to think my input is still valid. We are two farm managers looking at the same thing: one with an oldfashioned view and one with a new one but we can talk to each other in a language we understand.”
Visitor interaction has changed, too. When Lord Hertford’s father opened the hall to the public it was a case of “drive in, pay your two and six and have free flow around the house. One of the first letters of complaint was because, as a child, I used to ride around in my little car and knock into people,” he admits. Now, by hosting major festivals in the parkland and weddings in the hall, the estate welcomes 220,000 visitors annually. “I thoroughly enjoy Ragley being open to people. Events such as Open Farm Sunday are a chance to bring in those who don’t know about an agricultural way of life, and we also run a careers day where schoolchildren can discover more about the employment opportunities within the countryside. The Game Fair is returning here this summer too; since we have the luxury of being in the middle of England we are ideally placed to host such a staple of the rural calendar.”
The locals aren’t forgotten, either. “As president of the Alcester Civic Society I have the opportunity to ask some of the nearby residents their thoughts on the estate. Access via footpaths has always been important to them. The footpaths across fields are my responsibility, so they are mown and kept to a standard, whereas the ones along hedges, which should be maintained by the county council, are often overgrown, so people have to walk where they can,” says Lord Hertford. “We acquiesce towards that where possible; for example, where we have electric fencing, we move it into the field so there is still a route through.”
Some of Lord Hertford’s passions have had to fall by the wayside, such as hunting on horseback, but hounds still run over the parkland. “As for shooting, I hosted a few days last season and I still love to be involved. I’m not a good shot so I don’t shoot any more. However, as a 14-year-old cadet at Harrow I was the Army marksman, so give me a rifle and perhaps I’d be all right,” he smiles. Carriage driving has become more of an interest in recent years and is another way for Lord Hertford to survey the estate. It is also one that Lady Hertford may approve of more than his previous mode of transport.
“My wife remembers me driving her around for the first time. We were in my jeep, and as we approached a heap of gravel on a track she expected me to slow and go around it. Instead I told her to hold on and we went straight over. She admitted that moment helped her get the measure of me. I am someone who tends to go straight towards something. I don’t skulk hesitantly around the edges, whether it’s a room or a problem,” he admits.
“I don’t know what the next project is yet but when I do it will be a team decision with my wife and estate director. For now I am content to enjoy winning the Bledisloe medal.” It sounds as though there is much more ahead for Ragley with Lord Hertford fighting its well-decorated corner.
The Game Fair 2025
We’re delighted to bring a special offer to Field readers this year for The Game Fair.
Until 2 July 2025 you can get adult entry and forward parking for £45. The price would normally be £70 so that is an excellent saving. Book your tickets using this special link.