West Dean House - The West Dean Estate

The West Dean Estate

The West Dean Estate has approximately 6,350 acres (25.7 km2) of land. The Estate has 136 houses and cottages, as well as more than 100 farm buildings; some are occupied by the staff of the Estate and College, as well as by pensioners of the Foundation and local families.

There are twelve farms on the Estate, many of which have been owned by the estate for generations. Seven of these farms are let and the other five are farmed through the Estate’s farming company, Karova Farms Ltd (named by Edward James), and their agricultural activates are split between livestock and cereals.

The woodlands comprise around 1,932 acres (7.82 km2) of the estate, the main tree species being the native beech, found on the South Downs. The woodlands were badly affected by the storms of 1987 and 1990, and the woodland took over a decade to recover. The woodlands have become increasingly important, particularly when it became the key fuel to provide heating for the Estate in the 1970s. After the old boilers and electric heater proved to be incapable with dealing with the need from the evergrowing West Dean College, other methods were looked into, and wood fuel appeared to be the best alternative and the most eco friendly. 1,200 tonnes of wood chipping is needed to supply not only West Dean College, but several other residences on the estate as well, including the village church. The woodland also conceals a rich heritage with sites like Goosehill Camp dating back to the Iron Age.