A STORIED ESTATE IN THE HEART OF NORTH HAMPSHIRE
A former royal park, Wolverton once furnished the tables of kings and queens with venison. Today, the estate offers a traditional butchery, specialising in high-quality meats and local game, as well as a range of field sports and lettings opportunities.
The farmyarD
The Farmyard is a range of traditional outbuildings that were once the beating heart of Wolverton Park. They continue to support the local economy by hosting our butchery, a farm shop and other artisanal ventures.
A thousand-year history
Wolverton Park has been a place of significance for over a thousand years. It was first recorded as Ulvretune – meaning Wulfhere’s farm – in 1086. In the twelfth century, it served as a royal residence, hosting Queen Eleanor of Aquitaine – and that’s when its deer park was likely constructed (the boundary of which is still visible in places today). It was granted to Peter FitzHerbert in 1215 and has been in private hands ever since. Built at the turn of the 18th century, the medieval St Catherine’s Church on Crabs Hill is recognised by historian Nikolaus Pevsner as the finest early Georgian church in Hampshire.
Modern stewardship
This thriving, diversified estate of over 900 acres is now managed by Lord Harry Hay, whose grandfather purchased it in 1959. The estate strikes a careful balance between heritage, productivity and sustainably.
The estate itself is incredibly rich in history: the land is a mosaic of irregular fields, ancient groundworks and hidden archaeological secrets. At the heart of the park is a Grade II* listed manor house – see Lettings.
The farm at Wolverton has embraced modern, sustainable practices that support diversity and complement the traditional sporting estate.
Meet
Lord Hay
Lord Hay – known as Harry – is a hands-on member of the Wolverton Park team and is regularly to be found behind the counter in the butcher’s shop. Always happy to share tips on local game, traditional cuts and cooking methods, Harry is passionate about field sports and is an expert in port, which you’ll find stocked in the Butcher’s shop.
Wolverton Park was the childhood home of Harry’s mother, the late Countess of Erroll. She married Merlin Hay, the 24th Earl of Erroll and hereditary chief of the historic Scottish clan – the Hay family arrived in Britain shortly after the Norman conquest of 1066. Harry, their eldest son, now lives in a house at Wolverton with his wife and two children.