The Dawnay Estates

Wykeham Abbey

The Estates

...my family have been looking after this little corner of England for almost 350 years.
Viscount Downe

Our Operations include:

  • St Helen’s in the Park:
    A Leisure company running an award winning touring caravan site at Wykeham, and overseeing the Downe Arms Hotel, Wykeham Lakes and Watersports
  • Wykeham Mature Plants:
    “Mature” or “Instant” trees, shrubs and hedging grown at the Walled Garden, Wykeham Abbey.
  • Dawnay Sporting:
    Grouse, Pheasant and Partridge shooting and a wide variety of fishing.
  • Wykeham LakesFishing and watersports based on five fresh water lakes.
  • Property:
    Let houses, farms, offices and workshops throughout the villages of Wykeham and Ruston and also at Danby
  • Wykeham Farms:
    arable farming managed by Co-operative Farming.
  • Minerals:
    Gravel extraction at Wykeham Quarry managed by Hanson Aggregates (UK)

Wykeham and Danby Estates

The Dawnay Estate comprises two landholdings situated about 35 miles apart; Wykeham near Scarborough and Danby near Whitby, both in North Yorkshire.

The Danby Estate is essentially a 11,500 acre grouse more and a further 3,000 acres of let hill farms, Danby Castle (to include the Court and Jury Rooms), the Moors Centre (former sporting lodge – Danby Lodge) and approximately five miles of the upper reaches of the River Esk (salmon and sea trout fishing).

The Wykeham Estate surrounds Wykeham Abbey, which is the Dawnay family home. The Estate comprises 2,500 acres of woodland or forestry (part let to the Forestry Commission), Wykeham Farms, the in-hand farming operation over 2,500 acres, Wykeham Quarry (gravel), five let farms, two small villages, a small commercial property portfolio, the Downe Arms hotel (let), St Helens Caravan Park (in-hand), the Abbey Shoot (partridge and pheasant), Wykeham Mature Plants, a specimen tree, hedge and shrub nursery and Wykeham Lakes (fishing and watersports).

The Wykeham Estate lies at the eastern end of the Vale of Pickering, part being in the Vale and part on the rising land leading up to the North York Moors. Danby lies in the heart of the North York Moors National Park.

The Estate Office is located at Wykeham and forms the main hub of the rural businesses, many of which were established by the 11th Viscount Downe in the mid 1970’s. Turnover of both Estates is in excess of £4.5 million and the businesses support 35 full time employees.