How and why do these two fine examples of heritage preservation get cited as exhibits A and B in the
prosecution’s defence?
trees, with the addition of water features attracting further flora and fauna. Brocket Hall is one of England’s finest stately homes and has long been the playground of the rich and famous. It is set in 543 acres of stunning parkland. Previous owners have included William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne, who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1835-1841, and Lord Palmerston, Prime Minister from 1859 to 1865, whose death at Brocket that year ‘involved a chambermaid!’ Visitors to the estate have included Queen Victoria and Lord Byron and it is where the infamous Lady Caroline Lamb introduce the waltz to England in the ballroom. More recently, Margaret Thatcher wrote her memoirs whilst a resident. The current ‘owner’ of the hall is television presenter Charlie Brocket or, if you’re posh, Charles Ronald George Nall-Cain, 3rd Baron Brocket. Yes, him of I’m a Celebrity ... Get Me Out of Here! where he finished fourth in the 2004 version. He owns the house through a trust which leases it to a German consortium.
So what has this got to do with golf?
Well, it’s a similar scenario to Rudding Park. When Charlie inherited the house thirty years ago from his father, it was in a bad state of repair. Brocket Hall has many important paintings and antiques
as well as being architecturally stunning. To be able to afford the upkeep of these vital treasure the hall was converted into a hotel and conference centre and two 18 hole championship golf courses were added, the Donald Steel designed Palmerston and the Melbourne, created by Peter Alliss and Clive Clark. It is also home to the first and only Faldo Golf Institute in Europe. Unlike Rudding Park, the parkland has been turned over pretty much exclusively to the sport. But is that a bad thing, as the Telegraph suggest? The River Lea runs through the park and, along with ‘Broadwater’, a lake feature in front of the main house, creates all the water hazards. There is even a ferry to take golfers across the Broadwater to the 18th on the Melbourne course. In addition, the courses are home to rare Hornbeam, Scots and Corsican pine and 300 year oak trees, all of which are nurtured by the Brocket Hall staff.
Both courses have been sensitively designed around the local landscape and
Rudding Park had fallen into disrepair in the early seventies
all areas of the parkland are maintained with the environment a high priority. Similarly, it is the income from the hotel, conference centre and golf courses that allow the house and grounds to be preserved for the future.
So, how and why do these two fine
examples of heritage preservation get cited as exhibits A and B in the prosecution’s defence? Quite simply because the media have little or no idea how a modern golf course is maintained for the betterment of the environment or, indeed, the health benefits to the golfer, the latter of which reduces the weight of burden on the NHS, another of the media’s pet hobbyhorses. Golf is an easy target for the media. They perceive it as an elitist sport for fat men in large cars, with money to burn. They mock the clothes that golfers wear
The Hawtree desigend course retains all natural features
Mature woodland is maintained by the Rudding Park staff
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