About Crowcombe Estate
Crowcombe Estate is managed with great regard for the region’s historical significance and with reverence for the ecological importance of the land it occupies. The land is one-third forestry, a third of it is let, and the remaining third is farmed by the Estate.
The most challenging aspect of managing the Estate is how diverse the landscape is. It climbs from 220 to 1,000 feet above sea level, shifting from open moorland to ancient, boggy broadleaf lowland – sometimes within the space of a single field, where the ecology, soil type and structure can change completely.
Some incredible ancient boundaries are still in existence all over the Estate, from the moorland down to the boggy areas. Nothing or very little has changed in hundreds of years.
Management plans are focused on the historic landscape of the Estate. The Estate agreed with Natural England and the Forestry Commission to draw a line in the sand at about 1760, the period when the park was created; therefore, management across the Estate is based on that date.
Much work is being carried out to replace hedgerows and boundaries that were removed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. This will enable a return to a regenerative method of farming where grazing can be rotated in an organised fashion, focusing on smaller amounts of livestock, moving away from commercial production to a more sustainable approach.
Crowcombe Estate is owned by the Trollope-Bellew family. Anthony Trollope-Bellew was a prominent figure in the history of the Crowcombe Estate, and his parents (Major Thomas & Daphne Trollope-Bellew) played a pivotal role in the management and expansion of the Estate.
Anthony played an essential role in the development of the Estate; he was also very involved in local politics, serving as leader of the West Somerset District Council and a county councillor for many years.
Crowcombe Estate continues to thrive under the stewardship of the Trollope-Bellew family. They embrace modern business practices while preserving the Estate's historical, cultural, and ecological significance.
The Carew Arms Pub
The Carew Arms Pub
This historic 16th-century coaching inn is part of the Crowcombe Estate.
It’s the heart of the Crowcombe community and is run by the family-owned Black Bear Pub Group.
Enjoy wonderful food, with much of it sourced from the Estate; truly farm-to-table. The pub group also brews Black Bear Brewery beer, produced just up the road in Wiveliscombe.
Enjoy quirky, cosy interiors and a large pub garden with views over the countryside.
The Carew Arms also offers B&B accommodation, with six rooms overlooking the garden or the Quantock Hills.
