PUBLIC PLACES
family. Until 2010, descendants of the Victorian expeditionists owned Leonardslee Lakes & Gardens, whilst another offshoot cultivated High Beeches near Crawley, an estate also boasting rare and beautiful flora. In 1903, Sir Gerald Loder bought the estate now named Wakehurst, but its history dates back to the medieval period Back in the 1300s, William de Wakehurst bought 40 acres of land from Phillip de Crauele (local baron after whom Crawley is named).
T
Above the main entrance to the mansion a date of 1590 marks construction of the latest reincarnation, built by Edward Culpeper as a family home of Sussex sandstone quarried on site, complete with Horsham stone roof, since restored and extended by successive occupants. As the first Lord Wakehurst, Sir Gerald set about developing both house and gardens, planting a host of fine trees and shrubs from across the world, particularly East Asia and the Southern Hemisphere. From 1935, Wakehurst was home to Sir Henry Price, ‘the 50 shilling tailor’, who made his fortune fashioning demob suits after WW1. Several species of plants are named after the family.
he Weald of Sussex bears the mark of several pioneering plantsmen, who travelled the world in search of rare and exotic species to populate their estates.
Leading amongst them were the Loder
The estate passed to the National Trust on Sir Henry’s death in 1963. Two years later, the charity leased the 535-acre gem to the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, which runs and finances it to a 99-year agreement at a peppercorn rent. Wakehurst is Kew’s wild botanic garden in
Sussex, sitting in the High Weald’s Area of Outstanding Beauty (AOB).
Managed gardens and deciduous and evergreen woodlands blend harmoniously to create a widely diverse spread of habitats for flora and fauna. Set within them is the 150-acre Loder Valley nature reserve, with its traditional woodland, wetland and meadowland. We’re standing in front of Wakehurst mansion on a blisteringly hot day, chatting to the Sward and Mechanical Technicians team, who are taxed with tending the lawns and other grassed areas of the estate. The lawns in front of the house look in
extremely fine nick - stripes still showing through, given the huge public footfall across them. Shifting priorities in the estate’s management have brought the lawns ‘front of house’ in more ways than one - presenting a highly visual ‘first hit’ for the 350,000 visitors who flock here annually. They were the scene of upheaval some years ago when TV archaeological show Time T
eamdug up the lawns nearest the
house to explore the foundations of the two original wings of the mansion. Visitors throng Wakehurst for many
reasons, explains Logistics Manager Chris Bassett, who heads a five-strong team of multi-skilled operatives. “Many come for their daily walkabout and take the same route round the estate. The miles of paths to explore here allow visitors to tailor their walks to suit them.”
With more than 300 acres of the estate open to the public, visitors are spoilt for choice in how they spend their time at Wakehurst
“Then there are all the family parties who picnic on the lawns and just chill for a great day out,” Chris adds.
A self-confessed tractor techie, Chris, 46, has worked at Wakehurst for twenty-seven years, arriving after three years at Cottesmore Golf & Country Club, Pease Pottage, whilst attending Plumpton College studying agricultural engineering. “It’s a grounding that has stood me in good stead,” Chris says, “because so much of our work here is undertaken with large-scale machinery. As you’d expect, tractors are my favourite pieces of kit.”
The cluster of estate buildings to the rear of the main house proves ideal for sheltering the machinery fleet and allows the team to conduct most maintenance in-house - only regrinding is contracted out.
Officially in charge of all the machinery, Chris also takes his management duties seriously, encouraging a friendly, hands-off though committed team approach. “I just sign the orders and give them the
PC August/September 2018 109
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