Chisholme Estate

The owners of the land affected by windblow...offered the land for purchase. This was precisely the land that had been sold by Chisholme in 1973

...another 75 acres of shelterbelts were returned to Chisholme. The estate now totalled, and remains at, 187 acres.

The sale of land to finance restoration of the house in 1973 reduced the estate to 12 acres. It remained this size until 1986, when a series of events combined to allow various purchases of parcels of both timber and pasture land.

The first event did not initially seem propitious. A local timber mill, which had purchased substantial areas of shelter-belts in the auction of 1950, decided to realise their assets and to clear-fell what was now mature timber. However they soon found that extraction was not an easy operation and stopped halfway, leaving some areas clear-felled and others only selectively felled. The effects of this felling were drastic: windblow started to occur in other, now exposed, timber belts.

First remarkable offer

This resulted in a remarkable offer to Chisholme. The owners of the land affected by windblow, which included two large pastures above and below the House, offered the land for purchase. This was precisely the land that had been sold by Chisholme in 1973, and it was repurchased for the price it had been sold at originally. The estate was back to 112 acres.

Second remarkable offer

A second remarkable offer was made. The owners of the timber mill were now left with partially denuded land in a relatively isolated spot. As replanting was not a good economic option, this land too was offered to Chisholme. A 'Buy an Acre for Chisholme' appeal was started, negotiations were successful, and another 75 acres of shelterbelts were returned to Chisholme. The estate now totalled, and remains at, 187 acres.

The Institute was now responsible for re-planting those areas completely or partially felled. With the help of a commissioned plan of operation, replanting began, helped by Forestry Commission grants. This was slow going, however. The first parcels to be replanted were some of the most exposed and shallow-soiled sites on steep gradients. Trees were planted and protected with shelters against both the wind and browsing by rabbit, sheep and deer.