Big Butterfly Count – help take nature’s pulse
Here at Escot Estate we are proud of our work in land and estate management, supporting a biodiverse environment where native plants and wildlife can thrive. Butterflies are a crucial part of the ecosystem. They are important pollinators as well as contributing to the food chain. Sadly, their numbers have been decreasing since the 1970s. […]
Wild Bee Swarms
We recently spotted something a little odd on the terrace by Escot House. On closer inspection it turned out to be a huge group of bees, seemingly fixed to the stone wall! So we had a chat with Malcolm Crook, who keeps 14 beehives on the Estate, 2 in Escot’s gardens, 2 in neighbouring Wildwood […]
Beavers at Escot
We recently posted a video on social media of a new wild beaver dam we’d come across on the Estate. There was a huge amount of interest! So we thought it would be helpful to explain more about beavers, their history and their reintroduction into Britain. There have been beavers on Escot Estate since 2007. […]
8 reasons to choose Escot as your conference venue in 2021
Well…. 2020 was the year that wasn’t for every conference venue in the country. As an established Devon conference and wedding venue of over 25 years we have never seen the like. Even the Beast from the East was a pussycat in comparison. But with vaccines on the way and our continuing monitoring of our […]
Bees at Escot Estate
Escot Estate is delighted to host a number of beehives in different locations. The beekeeper tells us Escot is his most productive site due to the diversity of year round nectar. We also have wild bee colonies which have made their homes within hollow trees. Rural estates are an important bank of old parkland trees […]
Encouraging wildflowers at Escot Estate
We’re enjoying a wonderful show of wildflowers this autumn (yes, it’s autumn!). But new patches of wildflowers don’t just appear from thin air. In fact, experts say 97% of the nation’s meadows have been eradicated since the 1930s, with popular species like wild strawberry, ragged robin and harebell facing steep declines. Campaigners say the collapse […]
Wild flowers at Escot
For couples celebrating their wedding at Escot in normal times, Spring at Escot Park provides a fantastic backdrop for photography, in particular the wonderful swathes of yellow buttercups in front of the house. But encouraging wild flowers is an art in itself. Here’s why. Escot Park has been permanent pasture for many years and is […]
Escot’s Jungle Staircase
How many couples can say they’ve had their wedding photos taken on a jungle themed staircase? Everyone loves the stairs that lead up into the house, but do you know the history behind it? Escot House was built in 1837 by Sir John Kennaway and as the family home of Sir John-Michael and Lady Kennaway […]
Walking at Escot
At Escot we have a number of public and permissive paths which are enjoyed by local dog walkers, most of whom are responsible, know the countryside code and respect it. Some walkers don’t realise that the driveways are private and there isn’t actually a right of way for vehicles, or public parking except for visitors […]
Our commitment to the Estate – forestry
Woodland has multiple assets – for the planet – acting as a carbon sink and diverse habitat for a plethora of biodiversity. Landscape, amenity, sporting and commercial interests follow. In England woodlands are either owned and managed by the state (Forestry Commission) or the private sector including individual landowners, charities and business investors. Timber crops […]
Bluebells in May
Everyone gets very excited when the bluebells start to come out in late April and early May. They seem to be harbingers of warmer weather – and with temperatures in the South West set to rise for the first May Bank Holiday, we’d agree with that! Did you know that the about half the world’s […]
‘Snow’ Joke! Red Alert in Devon
It’s no secret that, along with much of the country, the South West was hit by the recent snow. Devon took a battering as the Beast from the East swept towards us, while from the south came Storm Emma. With a wedding on Saturday, we watched the forecast with some trepidation. When the snow hit […]
